#lt. jake seresin x you

[bradshawssugarbaby]

Got My Mind Set On You - Jake Seresin x Reader

A/N: I know I said fluff, but somehow I got to spicy stuff instead. Oops.

pairing: Jake Seresin x reader

content/warnings: suggested smut.

word count: 1.7k

Jake Seresin leaned casually against the rustic exposed wooden beam of the dimly lit bar, his gaze fixed on you as you shared a moment of laughter with your friends across the room. With the air of someone who knew they were being watched, he flicked another dart effortlessly towards the board, the satisfying thud of it hitting the bullseye punctuating the room. He took a slow sip of his beer, the corner of his lips curling into a self-assured smirk as his friends marveled at his accuracy.

Javy couldn't help but prod at Jake's seemingly supernatural dart-throwing abilities. "How do you do it, man? You never even look at the board."

Jake chuckled, tapping the side of his temple with his index finger. "Photographic memory, my friend. I've got every angle mapped out up here," he said with a grin, never once breaking his gaze from you.

Bradley, ever the skeptic, scoffed from the sidelines. "Oh, please. Anyone can get lucky tossing darts at a board."

A challenge hung heavy in the air as Jake raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Care to put that theory to the test, Bradshaw?"

Bradley, never one to back down, accepted with a lazy smirk. "Fine. But don't blame me if your girl decides she wants a more skilled pilot."

"Bring it on," Jake replied, his confidence unwavering.

With practiced ease, Bradley sent his first dart flying, hitting the bullseye just as he predicted. Jake's expression remained cool, but there was a flicker of admiration in his eyes as Bradley repeated the feat with his second shot. Bullseye again.

Jake's smirk faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered, raising his pint glass towards the dartboard. "You can't do it a third time."

Bradley's competitive spirit flared as he confidently launched his final dart, only to miss the mark by a fraction of an inch. He turned to Jake, a hint of defiance in his eyes as he admitted defeat.

Jake couldn't resist a playful jab. "Not quite perfect, Bradley."

But any teasing was forgotten as you appeared beside him, your touch warm on his shoulder. "Hey there, sugar," Jake greeted you with a smile. "See me get a perfect streak?" Jake purposefully drawled out the word ‘perfect’, resulting in a dramatic eyeroll from Bradley. 

Jake's smile softened as he wrapped an arm around you, his gaze never straying far from yours. You grinned as he tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear, nodding your head as you spoke. “Sure did, honey. You did great!”, you gushed.

“I am great, darlin’, you know that.”

Bradley groaned and rolled his eyes before downing the rest of his beer. With an exaggerated sigh, he shook his head, holding his empty glass up to you and the others before speaking.

“Anyone down for another round? I’ll buy.”

You chuckled at Bradley's offer, exchanging knowing glances with Jake before nodding in agreement. "I could go for another," you said with a grin, feeling Jake's arm tighten slightly around your waist.

“Sure, thanks man,” Jake started, handing Bradley his empty glass, “After, why don’t we rematch? We can switch to the pool table, if you guys would rather, that way you might actually have a chance at beating me.”

Bradley scoffed and shook his head. “Fine, you’re on.”

Javy, always up for a good time, eagerly agreed. "I'm in. Let's see if lightning strikes twice for old Bradshaw here."

Bradley shot Javy a mock glare before laughing, his competitive streak undeterred. "We'll see about that," he retorted, already heading towards the bar to order everyone’s drinks.

As Bradley disappeared into the crowd, you leaned into Jake's side, relishing in the warmth of his presence. The soft buzz of conversation and clinking glasses enveloped you, creating a comforting backdrop to the evening.

"You know, I think Bradley's just jealous," you whispered teasingly, tilting your head up to meet Jake's gaze.

Jake chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he looked down at you. "Can you blame him?" he replied, his voice low and playful. "After all, he's got to compete with the best."

You rolled your eyes affectionately, swatting his chest playfully. "Smooth talker," you teased, but couldn't hide the smile that tugged at your lips.

“Besides all that, I’ve got the best girl, so really, poor Bradley didn’t stand a chance, did he?” Jake whispered as he leaned into your ear, his green eyes fixed on yours as he planted a soft kiss on your lips. 

“The best girl, huh?” You mused, raising an eyebrow, “That’s a new one for me.”

“Mhmm,” Jake hummed as he gave you a playful tap on the nose with his index finger. “You better get used to it, honey.”

As you all rounded the pool table, gathering into your teams, Bradley furrowed his brow as he gestured to you and Jake as Jake kept you close to him for his team.

“Oh no you don’t loverboy.” Bradley chided, shaking his head, “She’s on my team. Together you two’ll just end up getting handsy on the pool table and make us all lose our lunch.”

“He’s got a point there, don’t he?” Jake shrugged as he conceded, letting go of his protective, loving grip on your waist.

You watched as Bradley lined up to take his shot. Observing his form carefully, you tried to make mental notes so you could match his game - you weren’t the greatest at pool, Jake usually used teaching you as an excuse to put his hands all over you, not that you complained. It just resulted in some incredibly short lessons in pool, and some playful sessions in the bed of his Ford F-150. 

Bradley leaned in close to your ear, whispering softly as he came up with a game strategy. “How well can you accidentally distract Jake?”

“Oh, easy,” you responded with confidence, nodding your head slightly as your gaze fixated on Jake, who was lining his pool cue up for his turn.

“Perfect, do your thing.”

You sipped your cocktail and fiddled with the straw, your lips encircling the tip in a way that you knew Jake would interpret as suggestive. Sure enough, as soon as Jake looked up at you, sea-green eyes locked in a gaze at your mouth as it played with the end of your straw, he missed his shot, causing the cue ball to bounce off the edge of the table, not striking anything in its path. Jake straightened his posture, raising an eyebrow at you as you set your glass down to take your own shot. Bradley smirked from behind his beer bottle, admiring your technique for riling Jake up better than any amount of trash talk ever could.

During Jake’s next turn, you shoved your glass into Bradley’s open hand, before fiddling and unbuttoning the top two buttons of your plaid shirt, exposing just enough cleavage to have Jake’s mind wandering. Once again, as soon as Jake caught a glimpse of you, he missed his shot, shaking his head and grumbling to himself as Javy joked about him being off his game.

“I’m not off my game. Everyone has one off game.”

“Just admit it, Jake, you’re not as good at pool as they are. Bradley’s got you beat.”

Jake scoffed and rolled his eyes again, before leaning over to take his next shot, trying to follow up after you sink one of the balls into the pocket, eliciting a high-five and a cheer from Bradley. As the game progressed, Jake caught on to your little game. His cheeks blushed when you whispered what you wanted him to do to you later that evening, he had to clear his throat to cover the involuntary moan that threatened to escape his mouth when your hand caressed his bicep, and he had to position himself carefully behind the pool table while he tried to focus his mind on anything other than the mental image you put in his head when you described what kind of underwear you were wearing under your skirt. 

After losing another round, Jake felt a simmering frustration bubbling beneath his skin, an insistent urge gnawing at him with every passing moment. He clenched his jaw, struggling to rein in the primal desires coursing through him. All he could think about was laying you down on the smooth surface of the pool table, indulging in the raw passion that pulsed between you. But he knew he couldn't act on those impulses, not here, not now.

Instead, he tossed the pool cue down with an uncharacteristic huff, the weight of his competitive nature hanging heavy in the air. His typically composed demeanor faltered, a rare glimpse of vulnerability flickering in his eyes as he turned away. You exchanged a knowing glance with Bradley, silently acknowledging the tension that hung between you all, before following Jake's retreating figure outside.

The night air enveloped you like a thick blanket as you stepped out of the dimly lit bar, the humidity clinging to your skin like a second layer. Concern etched across your features, you approached Jake cautiously, your footsteps echoing in the quiet night.

"Jake?" you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper, as you closed the distance between you.

"Mhmm?" His response was gruff, his body tense as he leaned against the side of his truck, the muscles in his arms flexing beneath the fabric of his shirt.

"Are you alright?" you asked softly, furrowing your brow with worry. "I wasn’t trying to be a dick—Bradley and I just thought it’d be funny if I, you know, distracted you a little."

Jake chuckled, a hint of amusement glinting in his eyes as he turned to face you. "I'm not mad."

"You aren’t?" Relief flooded through you, easing the tension in your shoulders.

"Of course not," he reassured you, his gaze softening as he reached out to pull you into his embrace. "I mean, you got me good, I’ll give you that."

"I did?" A smile tugged at the corners of your lips, grateful for his understanding.

"Sure did, Sugar." Jake's smirk was equal parts wicked and enticing, sending a shiver down your spine.

"But now it’s my turn to get you back." His words hung in the air like a promise, igniting a fire in your veins as you met his gaze with a playful challenge of your own.

[averagewriter-inthedark]

Time of Our Lives | Dancer!Jake Seresin x dancer!reader | Dirty Dancing AU

TGM masterlist

Characters & pairings: dancer!Jake Seresin x dancer!reader (romantic)

Content warnings: fluff, light profanity, pop culture references | Female!reader (she/her) | WC: 8.8k

Requested 📨 yes/no (for @eternalsams 🩶🥹)

Premise: what happens when two childhood best friends from well off families reunite at a country club leading into a summer that would impact their careers for eternity while dancing around a decades worth of brewing feelings and recreating an iconic dance for the country clubs annual showcase? Here’s a hit, it’s gonna be like that one song Baby and Johnny fell in love to.

Note: I am alive and just know I (quite literally) had the time of my life writing this piece. It brought me back to my 80s movies/dirty dancing hyperfixation 😭 @eternalsams thank you so much for your patience and requesting this gem. I hope I did you Justice and dancer Jake has my heart and soul. Thank you for trusting me with your vision 🩶

————————

“You could at least act like you’re having fun, Y/n,” came the scolding words of her mother when she noticed the unamused expression Y/n possessed.

A natural state she would describe since they arrived at the resort. And what Y/n could not depart from no matter how hard she tried.

Summertime. The best time of year for some folks who are eager to get away from the stress and drama of work and school to relax and have fun. Whether it be a week or two whole months. For high school dance teacher Y/n L/n, her ideal summer vacation would be in the comfort of her own home with a book or chilling at her favorite resultant sipping on Margaritas while enjoying live music. Going out with her small select group of friends to dance was also on her list of summer necessities…but her family had other plans.

To kick off her 2023 summer break—which is to last nearly three weeks if she manages to survive—Y/n and her family were at an upscale Catskills resort located in the Appalachian Mountains not too far from New York, the place she currently called home. A snazzy estate one may add, for it was filled with alumni from the top Ivy League schools in the country.

And Y/n’s personal hell.

Of course she loved spending time with her parents and siblings….to an extent. But, when they’re constantly berating her life choices by becoming a dance instructor—on top of displeased opinions of her love life—-Y/n felt suffocated by them.

It was like she could never live up to the expectation they had of her no matter how much she proved herself and her talent. Not only were her parents highly respected doctors in their community, but her sister graduated Summa Cum Laude at Yale Law School, marrying her college sweetheart before taking a job at one of the city’s top firms. Then there was her brother. He went on to become a naval fighter pilot, distinguished and respected with his place at number one in his class during his year at Top Gun. His wife was a trauma nurse who worked at the same hospital as her parents.

Yet here she was—mind you, a former member of the New York City Ballet Company, Juilliard Alumni, performed at the Super Bowl, toured with Rihanna in the mid early 2010s, appeared in several music videos, and teaches at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts—unable to adhere to their standards.

Parents…they want what’s best for their children. Right?

Yeah she found that hard to believe.

If only they saw her in the Ballroom. And no, not talking about the kind you see on Dancing With The Stars. She’s talking about the Ballroom that calls New York its home.

But also ballroom dancing. Her sister would have a heart attack if she discovered Y/n danced Bachata with Prince Royce at a New York latin club.

“Fun?” Y/n scoffed, sipping at her glass of champagne resulting in a light cringe at the taste. For rich people one would think they’d have the best there was. What just hit her tastebuds was something out of a box container imposing as fancy liquor. “I don’t see how anyone could find this type of rendezvous fun, mother.” She received a scolding glare.

“Keep your voice down,” the older woman kept looking around to see if anyone heard, “these are our friends.”

“Your friends,” Y/n corrected. There was no way in hell she’d consider any of the fake people in front of her friends. No matter how long their families have been acquainted. None of them liked each other, and were always trying to one up whenever someone voiced an accomplishment.

Instead of answering, Y/n’s mother simply walked away with an annoyed huff. No longer in the mood to argue. Rolling her eyes, Y/n downed the last of her champagne before making way out the french doors of the lounge and into one of the many patios. The sunshine greeted her with its vibrant and warm rays. Chatter from the guests sitting under umbrellas and beside the pool filled her ears. Y/n placed her sunglasses and booked it across until she was on the pathway leading to the guesthouse she and her family were staying.

“Y/n!” Had it been anyone else the woman would’ve mentally signed, but the voice behind the greeting was none other than her childhood best friend growing up, Natasha. A genuine smile appeared on her face as she turned around.

“Hey, Nat!” the two embraced in a hug, “Been a while, huh?” In truth the two hadn’t seen each other face to face since 2019 when Natasha moved to California to base her talent agency. Despite this, Natasha still traveled every year to Caskilles around this time to see her family, whereas Y/n remained in New York due to shows and gigs.

“More like four years,” a playful nudge was sent her way, “girl you left me here to fend for myself. I should feel betrayed,” Nat smirked, “but I can’t blame you. The only reason I keep coming to this place is to please my mom. It’s the only time all of us siblings are under the same roof.”

Natasha was the oldest of four and the only daughter to three sons. Her father had been the Mayor of New York City while her mother was the former District Attorney. All of her brothers had achieved prospective careers. Antonio, the second oldest, had been drafted by the MLB and currently played for the Washington Nationals. Dominic, the middle brother, was a nuclear engineer who rarely ever got time off but always managed to get a week in the summer. Lastly the youngest of the bunch, Victor, was a professional photographer who went on tour with artists like Journey, Lionel Richie, Daddy Yankee, and Stevie Nicks.

For Natasha, she had fallen in love with the fashion industry at a young age. After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology Natasha received an intern position at Vogue Magazine before becoming a product and brand marketing manager at Louis Vuitton, for which she got the opportunity to live in Paris, France for four years. There she got to work closely with Virgil Abloh, who unfortunately passed away in 2021, and Nicolas Ghesquiere.

As of 2022 Nat relocated to San Francisco and developed her own talent agency for aspiring models and fashion photographers who come from low-income backgrounds, LGBTQIA+, people of color and disabilities. With its success Nat’s had several clients on the face of Vogue and walking runways at every fashion week.

“I’m sorry,” Y/n said, the two beginning to walk down the path together, “Life’s been hectic. During the pandemic there were little to no gigs so I had no idea what to do.” Unfortunately being in the dance industry meant competitive opportunities with a maybe 10% success rate if lucky. Y/n’s last big break was dancing with Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande in their ‘Rain on Me’ music video. Y/n occasionally attended the Balls in New York, but hadn’t walked a category in ages.

She did have a following on social media, which bought in a reasonable amount of income. Over 100k on YoutTube and roughly 2 half a million on TikTok. Instagram had close to 3 million since it had been the primary platform in the 2010s and several of her dance videos went viral.

“I understand,” Nat nodded solemnly, “It was like that for me too. It’s nice the world is slowly going back to normal. Although,” she paused to chuckle, “the amount of damage control getting bookings back to their normal pace was probably the most stressful point in my career.”

“Has it been easier now?” They stopped at a little bench overlooking the lake, “I saw you were at fashion week.”

Nat instantly brightened. “Much better than before I will say. We’ve got a great wave of new clientele—I just landed this fella a cover with GQ so I’m pleased with that.” Y/n congratulated her before the agent changed the subject, “But enough about me, what about you?”

The woman scoffed, “Well my last big thing was the Lady Gaga music video—and that was going on three years now,” the thought made her frown. It wasn’t like her to go so long without a gig. “I auditioned for a spot on Beyoncé’s tour.”

“The Renaissance tour,” Nat nearly gagged. It was all anyone could talk about since tickets went on sale earlier that year. Nat managed to snag two for her and her boyfriend for the Los Angeles show. “And?”

“I’ll know in about a month or so if I book it.”

“You so got it,” Nat assured with a tap on her shoulder, “You’re one of the best dancers in the world. You danced with Madonna at the Super Bowl,” her gaze became pointed, “and toured with Rihanna. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Nat,” Y/n laughed, though deep down she felt the hope in her rise.

Rolling her eyes, Natasha leaned back against the bench and was about to comment when someone in the distance caught her eye. “Is that who I think it is?”

Peeking over her shoulder, Y/n suddenly straightened her posture upon seeing the blonde man grinning from ear to ear as they made eye contact. Jake Seresin certainly landed on the right side of the puberty coin. With his tan, muscular frame, gorgeous green eyes, blonde hair and smile that belonged on the cover of a magazine, he was a sight for sore eyes.

“Ladies, fancy seeing you two here on this beautiful afternoon.”

A wave of butterflies simmered in Y/n’s tummy, a shy smile forming as he approached the bench. It’d been several years since the two saw each other despite being friends since childhood. “Jake,” she greeted, moving to accept his hug when he opened his arms. Natasha followed before the two sat back down, “It’s good to see you. Is your mom with you?”

Like Natasha and her family, Jake’s were part of the same circuit in terms of highly respected, sometimes influential people. His mother, a doctor, was a colleague of Y/n’s parents, and his late father was one of Texas’ Congressmen during the 2000-2010s. Jake’s only sibling, his sister Krista, was a young adult novelist with over ten publications.

Jake on the other hand was like Y/n: a professional dancer and known in the industry as a real life Ken Doll. He had a massive following online, choreographed music videos and tours—even went on tour with Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, & Ariana Grande—and was a guest judge on ‘So You Think You Can Dance,”. During the pandemic a lot of his dance sequences went viral and became trends, Y/n even posted on to which he reposted with the caption, “you know I had to shine the spotlight on my favorite dance partner. Miss you Y/n/n.”

You can bet Y/n experienced internal fireworks.

There was no denying she had a crush on Jake growing up. The two were inseparable whenever their families stayed at the resort. They’d even make trips out to each other during winter break, eventually attended Juilliard at the same time, and collaborated early in their careers. Jake and Y/n used to sneak out of the country club when they were younger to dance on the dock while blasting music from the boom box they’d stolen from the lounge. They learned ballroom together, competing in competition without Y/n’s family having knowledge of it.

Unlike Y/n’s parents, Jake’s mom and dad approved of his career choice. Though skeptical in the beginning, they grew to be very supportive and attended his showcases at school, the concert he was performing in and kept up with what he was doing.

Because of their disapproval of her pursuing dance, Y/n believes their learning of Jake’s endeavors resulted in them no longer coming to the country club if he and his family were there. They also never asked about him or worked with his mother despite being in the same field. It’s like they blamed Jake for Y/n not becoming what they wanted her to be: a doctor or a lawyer.

“She and my sis are settling in,” he gestured down the path he came, where several cabins were located. “We just got in about an hour ago.”

“How long are you guys here for?” The question came from Nat, who threw a look at Y/n.

Jake didn’t notice, “a couple weeks. Needed a break from the world—and Mr. Collins asked me to help him with this showcase he’s putting together.” Y/n raised her brow.

“Showcase?”

“It’s more for the youngins,” Jake explained. “He asked if I could help teach some dance lessons for those interested.” Though it physically hurt not to react, Y/n somehow managed to remain neutral. Even putting a semi-fake smile.

How come Mr. Collins didn’t ask her?

“Stop it,” the voice in her head said, “it’s not a competition and you know Jake would never be upset if the roles were reversed.”

“Wow, Jake, that's great!” She was happy for him. And scolded herself mentally for the childish thought she had. Jake was an exceptional dancer and a great teacher. Y/n had watched some of his YouTube videos in passing and had no doubt he could get the job done.

“Say if you have the time I’d be happy to have you join in,” he flashes a smile that would have any girl weak in the knees. “I’d say you’re more of an expert in certain areas that I’m not really well acquainted with.” Warmth fills her chest.

“I’d love to. Thank you, Jake.”

The second he departed Natasha was on Y/n. “Girl, if you do not hop on that—.”

“Natasha!”

“What?” She whispers shouts after being hushed, “you’re into him, he’s so into you,” Y/n’s expression is that of, ‘You’re delusional’. “Skip the previews and start the movie.” Now that was a metaphor Y/n had not heard before, but clever nonetheless.

“Jake and I have been friends for years,” Y/n brushed her off. “I am not going to risk ruining what we have because of some middle school crush.” The brunette rolls her eyes.

“But it’s not, ‘some middle school crush.’ You’ve had feelings for him for over decades now—which is a conversation for another day,” Y/n makes a sound of offense, but does not deny the woman. “It’s time to put on your big girl panties and get your man.”

She’s quiet for a moment, glancing to her feet, “What if it’s not meant to be. My family would never approve—.”

“Like you’ve let them dictate what you do in life.”

“My point is—,” Y/n cuts back, “I’ve already disappointed them with my career path. Call me naive or delusional, but I don’t want to have to deal with constantly being berated for my choice of partner. Jake is wonderful in every aspect, but what he does will just set my parents off again for another twenty years if by some miracle we start something up.”

Natasha sighs, placing a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder, “Sometimes you have to accept that parents are always going to have their opinions that are unchangeable. And you have to let go of the hope they’ll come around. Y/n, you’ve dealt with this since you were seventeen, maybe it’s time to distance yourself from it.”

“And if it all backfires and I end up alone?”

“You’ll never be alone,” she nudges her, “I’m here. And even if it all blows to hell, then at least you can say you tried.”

The next day Y/n found Jake at the little studio room the club used to teach waltz lessons. She was met with his gorgeous smile and an army of preteens in the middle of showing off who could do the best tik tok dance. “I see I’ve interrupted a very important matter.”

“None wanted to do the one I created,” he dramatically pouts, “saying it was too complicated.”

She laughed, “Well they’re not wrong.”

“Hey!”

For the next week, Y/n and Jake spent four hours a day--two in the morning and two in the afternoon--with the kids teaching them different styles of dance. Of course the crowd favored breakdancing, hip hop, modern, and vogue, but would request to watch Jake and Y/n perform routines they used to do back in the day. Swing was a popular one, as was quickstep and jive because of its upbeat and face paced. One day Jake busted out his tap dancing skills while Y/n displayed some ballet.

“How can a person do that?” a kid commented as she stood on revelé. Jake leaned down, whispering, “she’s secretly an alien from another planet.”

“C’mon I wanna show you something,” Jake grabs her hand one night after dinner. He leads her to a cabin not too far from the main resort where members of the staff have started a party. On the speakers were some 2000s hits that summed up the millennial crowd. Jake waved to some of the guys who ran group activities in the corner, Y/n spotted the culinary department at the food table. And if she were to glance at the door on the opposite end of the cabin, she’d see the housekeeping passing around an object containing a certain plant.

“What’s this?”

“The only place where the workers get to catch a break after spending all day with those uptight rich folks. They call it ‘Dirty Dancing’,” Y/n’s expression becomes amused, letting out a soft laugh.

“Like the 80s movie with Patrick Swayze?” Jake beams.

“The one and only,” taking her hand once more, he leads her to the makeshift dance floor. “Let’s show them how it’s done.”

To say the two became the life of the party was an understatement. Jake spun Y/n to the sound of her laughter and Elvis ‘Jailhouse Rock’. Jumping up and down with a crowd around them to Pitbull’s “Give Me Everything.”

“Tonight, I want all of you tonight,” They pointed to each other, “Give me everything tonight.” Y/n pointed to the girl beside her, “For all we know we might not get tomorrow. Let’s do it tonight.” Jake fist pumped with some guys around him, “Don’t care what they say, or what games they play. Nothing is enough, ‘til they handle love.” people in the back shouted “let’s do it tonight.”

“I want you tonight, I want you to stay,” Jake gave Y/n a look, “I want you tonight,” she squealed upon him pulling her toward him, “Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey.” the entire house exploded into the chorus. Everyone having the time of their lives, it felt like a scene from a movie.

Y/n pulled girls into the middle during Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies.’ Then they carried the party when ‘Year 3000’ by the Jonas Brothers came on. “He said, ‘I've been to the year 3000. Not much has changed, but they lived underwater. And your great-great-great-granddaughter is doing fine!”

Some staff who happened to be part of the New York Ballscene recognized Y/n, leading to a vogue battle to commence. “This is what I wanna see!”

Let’s just say….that was the moment Jake knew he was in love.

“‘Cause we are living in a material world. And I am a material girl,” The next morning Y/n was rudely awoken by her ringtone. “Hello,” her groggy voice answered, hearing Jake on the opposite end sounding equally as tired.

“Are you busy this afternoon in between lessons?”

“Not that I know of. What’s up?”

“I just got off the phone with Collin,” his tone shifted to one she couldn’t decipher, “He’s asking if you and I would be interested in performing at the showcase.” Jolting from the bed, Y/n was fully awake.

“Come again.”

“You and me. Me and you,” Jake repeated, “we put on a little number for the finale.”

Fiddling with her pajama top, Y/n suddenly became nervous. The night before she was on Cloud 9 with the way Jake was looking at her. They danced the night away and those feelings she desperately tried to hide were slowly becoming difficult to keep down. “What did you have in mind?”

“Time of My Life, really?” The two were at the studio dressed in comfy attire they usually danced in. “Don’t you think that’s a little cliche.”

“I thought it was fitting,” the blonde rebutted. Jake suggested the two perform the iconic dance sequence at the end of the 80s classic. “What, you got something against it?”

She rolled her eyes, “Only that my parents blame my childhood obsession with it as the reason I didn’t follow their dreams for me.” Jake made a face.

“They’re still not over that?”

“Nope,” She popped the ‘p’. “In fact they still remind me every chance they get about it.”

Jake finished setting up the song loop, standing from his crouching position, “Well, let’s prove just how wrong they were when you blow their mind with your talent at the showcase.”

Between the giggles and constantly finding any moment to procrastinate, it was a miracle the two managed to choreograph a routine. It wasn’t an exact copy of the iconic dance Baby and Johnny performed, but they kept some elements in.

Including the lift.

“Jake, I don’t know about this,” Y/n shivered when her body hit the cold water, following him until their waists were submerged. The whole idea made her nervous. It was an intimidating maneuver.

Jake, however, did not show any sign of hesitation. “Worried I’d drop you?” he teased, “I thought you trusted me? We used to do this all the time as kids.”

“Exactly. I do trust you, but we’re not fifteen anymore. I’m not--,” he cut her off gently.

“Don’t say what I think you’re about to say,” his look was soft but serious at the same time. “You have nothing to worry about. And besides, we’re out here taking precautions instead of being in the studio where if something did go wrong, we’re not as likely to end up in the ER.”

Sighing, Y/n rubbed her eyes. “Fine, let’s just get this over with, before I drown in embarrassment..”

About two and half hours of non-stop repetition of Jake lifting Y/n in the air passed. Sometimes he purposely lost footing so they both planted into the freezing lake water and other times he genuinely faltered. “Jake!”

“I’m sorry!” Thankfully at least one out of every ten attempts were a success. By that we’re talking they were able to hold the position for more than four seconds. “Okay, we’re done for the day.”

As the sun started to set, Jake climbed onto the dock before pulling Y/n up. “Thanks,” she took the towel he handed her, immediately squeezing the excess water from her hair. “Well that was fun.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled, grabbing his towel. “I think we made some great progress. We’ll go through the whole routine tomorrow and see what needs adjustments.” The showcase was in just over a week, meaning they were crunching down on time.

“Sounds like a plan.” Stars painted the sky, the two eventually sitting on the dock with their towels wrapped around them. Soft music played from Jake’s speaker.

“How’s it been for you?” Jake was the one to break the silence, “thinking about it, we haven’t really got the chance to catch up. New York still treating you well?”

“Oh uh,” Y/n swallowed, unsure of how to answer without sounding too pessimistic. “It’s been alright. I’ve been teaching for the last two years.”

“A teacher you say? Where at?”

“Frank Sinatra School of Arts.” Jake’s smile grew.

“That’s amazing!” Butterflies erupted at his praise. “I’m happy for you, Y/n, really. You’re inspiring the next generation.”

“Thanks,” she looked away, unable to keep eye contact when her heart was beating so fast. ‘Geez, why am I like this? He’s making me feel like I’m fourteen again.’ “I’ve enjoyed it. My students were amazing.” Jake raised a curious brow.

“Are you not teaching anymore?”

Y/n bit her lip, “well, I haven’t renewed my contract for the upcoming school year yet,” she paused before adding, “I’m waiting to find out if I got a spot on this tour I auditioned for.” Now Jake was super curious. Lots of artists were touring that summer. The Jonas Brothers, Big Time Rush, Kesha, SZA, and of course the much anticipated Era’s and Renaissance tours of Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

And Jake was going to be involved in one.

“Is it okay if I ask which one?” his tone had an underlying hint of excitement at the thought the two might work together. Traveling across the country in what would be one of the best experiences in their lives.

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion, “something tells me you have a secret, Jake Seresin. Would you like to share with the class what’s on your mind?”

Scratching his head, Jake answered, “I’m not really supposed to say…..but,” she held her breath, releasing with a low gasp, “I’ll be touring with Taylor Swift.”

“Wow,” the woman was speechless, breaking into a massive grin. “I-uh, wow, Jake that’s incredible! Congratulations!”

“Thank you,” he accepted her hug, not caring that their clothes were still damp. “I honestly didn’t believe I’d get it.” a playful slap landed on his arm.

“Please,” came her scoff, “You really thought Miss Americana herself would not see the talent in front of her?” Y/n mentally cheered in victory at the sight of his blush. “She’d be foolish to not have you as part of her time.”

“Okay okay,” he swatted her hands away with a chuckle. “Now answer my question.”

Once revealing who’s tour Y/n auditioned for, the two embarked on an hour long conversation about their careers and life. Jake mentioned how he had been in a relationship but it didn’t work out. Y/n vented on the ongoing emotional feud with her family--to which Jake told her, “It’s their loss for not seeing you the way the rest of the world does.”

Yeah, that made her melt.

By the end of the night there was a shift in the atmosphere. Both felt it, glancing away when they held eye contact longer than usually without a word passing by. They had suddenly become quiet, only the crickets singing through the trees.

“It’s getting late,” Y/n rushed out, moving to stand. “Same time tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Jake mirrored her movements. “Same time.” Heading back to the cabins their families were staying at, they arrived at Y/n’s first.

Opening her mouth to say goodnight and avoid an awkward moment, Y/n’s words paused upon seeing Jake’s expression, “You look troubled.”

“I--,” he began before stopping, causing Y/n’s nerves to rise. “It’s nothing.”

The dancer wasn’t having it, “No, no no,” she playfully raised a hand, “you can’t leave me hanging like that, Jake. I thought we were friends.” Suddenly it became quiet again. Next thing Y/n knew was Jake softly grabbing her hand.

“You know I adore you right?”

Her heart skipped, “Not really, but I do now,” the light chuckle was obviously embedded with nerves. “I adore you too.”

“And we’ve been….rather close for a long time.”

“Yes,” the word trailed off her tongue, somehow managing to hold the eye contact Jake was giving her. She was practically pinned where she stood.

“I realize this isn’t the best time or way to say this,” his cheeks become rosy, “but I’ve really enjoyed these past couple weeks catching up and being able to dance again like we used to. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bring back some feelings I tried to ignore for fear it would ruin what we have.”

Y/n couldn’t believe what was happening, “Bring back?” Did the man she secretly longed for since they were teenagers want her too? After all this time? She nearly pinched herself.

Jake looked away, bringing his other hand to scratch his neck. “Yeah. Look, I understand if you don’t feel the same and I’m sorry for dropping this on you but after the party I felt like my world was finally on its axis. You…” he struggles finding the right words, “I can’t stop thinking about you and what we could be. You’re my best friend, Y/n. And I view you as someone I wanna dance with till we’re old and gray.”

“Jake,” his name was the softest it had ever been coming out of her mouth. Here was the moment she had been dreaming about. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that.”

His reaction was immediate, “You--you feel the same?” The tone was that of disbelief and hope. Heart pounding beneath his skin.

Y/n cupped his face in her hands, grinning ear to ear, “There is no one else in this world I’d rather dance with than you, Jake. I’ve felt this way about you for as long as I can remember.”

Not wasting a second longer, Jake leaned down and captured her lips in a sweet kiss. Fireworks exploded between the two, the butterflies escaping their stomachs to swarm around them. Jake's lips were soft against hers, moving slowly as though to commit them to memory. When they pulled away, he kept his forehead against hers, “wow.”

She giggled, repeating, “wow.”

“Is this what Could 9 is supposed to feel like? Because I’m getting those vibes.”

Y/n threw her head back, laughing before covering her mouth when she remembered her family was asleep on the other side of the door, “You’re not the only one, hot shot. If this is what cloud 9 feels like then I never want to lose it.”

In the days following that magical night, the two continued their practice session. Perfecting the dance to where they didn’t even hear the music to be able to hit the steps right. When it came to the lift, however, Y/n was still worried of a disaster. Thankfully after several successful attempts at the studio she was able to let go of her doubt.

Plus she was tired of hearing Jake’s teasing.

Each night after parting ways that afternoon the two would meet up at the docks. Spending hours laying on the wood to watch the stars twinkle and talk about life. Then Jake would walk her back to the cabin, saying goodbye with a sweet kiss. With every minute they spent together, every dance, every kiss, both Jake and Y/n were falling more and more for each other.

One could go as far as to say it was love.

One could say they were having the time of their lives.

But of course what is life without a little drama? Y/n silently prayed drama would be avoided. Once in her life could things just be great? Without the everlying feeling of something going wrong?

Yeah, it was too good to be true.

“Jake!” a voice interrupted the peaceful morning, ripping the two apart from their kiss. They had gone for a jog together that morning around the lake, stopping at their usual spot of the docks before heading to the studio to practice for the night's event. Turning to the direction of the voice, Y/n’s eyes landed on a fiery redhead storming up the path. Her attention was on the man beside her, not hiding the obvious fact she was furious. “Who the hell is that?”

“Tatiana?” Jake’s tone was of shock and confusion. He let go of Y/n’s face he had been cradling, but kept a firm touch on her arm. “W-what are you--.”

“Is it so much to ask for you to answer your phone?” stopping in front of the two, her blazing hazel eyes locked on Y/n. “Who are you? And why the fuck were you making out with my boyfriend.”

“Excuse me?” she stammered, glacing at Jake who now looked pissed off. ‘He’s had a girlfriend this whole time?”

“I haven’t been your boyfriend since December, Tatiana,” he raised a pointed finger, casting a look to Y/n with pleading eyes that he was telling the truth. “We’ve been broken up for a while now.” he turned back to his ex, “You made that clear to me when you had me choose between the career I’ve spent decades building and you.”

There was anger in his tone, not pleased with her claims. Y/n didn’t know what to believe, all she could feel was a weight clamping down on her shoulder.

“Oh really,” removing her phone from her back pocket, Tatiana tapped the screen a few times before pushing it in Y/n’s face, “Does that seem like it to you.” Leaning forward, Y/n gulped at the sight of text messages indicating Jake and Tatianna had been in contact a few months prior. From the looks of it, Tatiana was hoping the two could pick up where they left off and Jake replying, ‘I’ll think about it,’ then it was silent until this past week where Tatiana sent texts asking when they could meet up. Jake, however, responded it wasn’t a good time and believed the two should stay friends.

“Y/n,” Jake started, glancing back between her and Tatiana, which only made her more perplexed. Unable to decipher what he was thinking. “Just please, wait right here.” He gently squeezed her arm, brushing their fingers together as he let go. Then before she could say anything, Y/n watched Jake gently escort Tatiana away from the docks. They went a good distance away to where Y/n was unable to hear the two. With Jake’s back to her, Y/n’s view was of the red head’s angry expression as she pushed her finger into Jake’s chest.

She saw him gently raise his hands, stepping away to escalate the situation. Y/n’s head spun, feeling a wave of nausea and the woman grabbed her water bottle from the ground. In a fast pace, Y/n stepped off the dock and onto the path leading back to the clubhouse. Once a distance away she broke out into a run, unaware if Jake saw her leave considering his back was to her. This was confirmed when she didn’t hear him call out for her.

Sprinting past the clubhouse, Y/n made a beeline for her cabin. Throwing the door open she moved past the living room not caring if anyone was there and straight to her bedroom where she locked the door behind her, pressing her back against it and sliding down to the floor to finally catch her breath.

Her water bottle had been drained, sweat coating her forehead and tears threatening to spill. Covering her mouth, Y/n refused to let the sob forming in her throat to release. There was no time to let her heartbreak. Not when the showcase was fast approaching.

The showcase.

“Fuck,” she sniffed, kicking off her shoes in the process. Of course it had to be that day all blows to hell. The perfect world she thought she finally obtained crashing down.

Of course she was being dramatic. Her life was shy from perfect, and this was another dent in the walls she tried to build.

She kept thinking of Jake. Willing herself to not jump to conclusions. He was clearly taken aback by Tatiana’s appearance. Even more when she called herself his girlfriend. Jake appeared rather offended by the accusation they were still together. Bottom line of the story: there was tension--especially animosity--between them, unfinished business if Y/n had to guess.

Whatever it was, she couldn’t bear to witness it. Right now she needs to think with a blank mind. And with Jake already spamming her phone, the solution for peace and quiet was to turn off her phone. Going as far as to power off her apple watch and not have music play while she showered.

The tears slowly cascaded while Y/n stood beneath the water. It was eerie with the silence, but it assisted with the clearing of her thoughts. Once clean Y/n dressed in comfy clothes and decided to nap for the remainder of the day. The morning had drained her, and until it came time to get ready for her dance with Jake--which she already dreaded--Y/n willed herself to sleep imagining what the day had been if his ex had never stepped foot on the docks.

“Need some help?” Y/n jumped, the hair clip falling from her hand. In the mirror she found Nat staring back at her with a sympathetic smile. “You look like you could use a hand.”

“Thanks,” she picked up the clip, holding up for Nat, who took it in her hand and stood behind Y/n. Gathering her hair up, Nat styled it in a messy but pretty updo.

“You seem tense for someone so used to the spotlight by now.”

A frown appeared, “It’s always nerve racking going on stage in front of people no matter how long you’ve done it.” Nat wasn’t buying it.

“Wanna talk about it? I know it’s more than a few nerves rustling your feathers, Y/n.”

Biting her lip, the dancer shrugged. “It wasn’t meant to be, Nat. Simple as that.” Sadness washed over her for the millionth time since that morning. She hasn’t seen Jake since, only replying to his several texts after a dozen unanswered calls to confirm she would still do the showcase.

Although part of her thought about backing out.

“What exactly happened?” Nat softly asked, moving to now help Y/n on her makeup. She was going for a simple look so she lightly concealed, blushed, highlighted and added some minimal eye makeup.

“Everything felt so amazing” she started, looking up as Nat dabbed the beauty blender under her eyes. “After we did the lift at the lake, we talked for hours on the dock and when he walked me back to the cabin….he told me how he felt about me,” Y/n could still feel the tingles on her lips, “and we kissed.”

Nat withheld squealing, knowing it was a bad moment considering it didn’t end the way she hoped for her best friend. Now she was conspiring on how to get payback on Jake. Filled with sudden disdain.

“The next few days went by--like I was walking on cloud 9. The way he looked at me, Nat,” Y/n connected their eyes, “It was magical.” Nat brushed powder onto her cheeks, followed by light blush and highlighter.

“And then what happened.”

Y/n’s shoulders dropped, making her slouch, “Jake’s ex showed up this morning.” Nat’s hand froze, a second passing before continuing its movement. “They broke up last year, but I guess they were in the works of getting back together. Because she was very vocal about it--not shy of asking who the fuck I was and why was I with her boyfriend.”

“And what was Jake’s reaction?”

Y/n waited until after Nat finished sweeping a thin coat of eyeliner to answer, “He denied it--was very shocked when she showed up out of the blue. Said that she ended things because he refused to choose her over his career. Then she went on about how they were talking things out--that a few months ago he said he’d think about it.” Y/n thought back to the texts, “She showed me the messages from this week. He rejected her invite to meet up and said that they should remain friends. Then he pulled her aside to talk where I couldn’t hear. I sorta left after that.”

Nat grabbed the mascara, “You didn’t wait for him to explain?”

“Could you blame me?” Y/n rebutted, a little on the defense but not saying it in a mean tone. “I was dealing with a hundred emotions. Confusion, embarrassment, shame, sadness, anger. I wanted to cry, I wanted to yell. But the only thing I could do was shut down and walk away.”

Nat said nothing, spraying Y/n’s face with a setting mist before handing her the tube of her favorite lipstick.

“I know,” Y/n groans, “I should’ve stayed--to at least hear him out. But I didn’t want to face the humiliation if it were true.”

“And if it’s not true?” Nat suggested, “What if he was genuine and they really are done? Where does that leave you two?”

Blotting the color onto her lips, Y/n capped the tube and threw it into her makeup bag with a shug, “I don’t know, Nat. We’ll find out tonight I guess.” Taking one last glance in the mirror, she added, “That’s if he shows up--which I doubt he won’t. He wouldn’t want to let Collins down.” leaning back in the char, Y/n turns to her friend. “Thanks for the hair and makeup.”

Nat patted her shoulder, “anytime. You look beautiful. That dress was made for you.” Y/n bore a light pink dress with a flowy skirt and corset styled top. It was similar to the one Baby wore in Dirty Dancing, ironically enough, but unique in its own way. She paired it with simple dance shoes.

“Thank you, Nat.”

A thought suddenly came to the brunette, “Hey, did you ever hear back from that audition?”

There was no hiding her grin, Y/n looked like a child having just received a gift from Santa, “I got a call back. They’re having me fly to L.A. next week to dance for them again.” Nat jumped from her seat, squealing and pulling the woman into a hug.

“Ah that’s amazing! Congratulations--I’m so so happy for you!!”

“Thank you,” Nat’s happiness was contagious, making Y/n giggle as they swayed side to side. “I can’t believe I’m so close.”

“I knew you’d get it,” Nat maveled, playfully pinching Y/n’s side making her swat at her hand.

The happy moment was interrupted right on cue as Mr. Collins rushed in. “There you are!” He was frantic, clipboard in hand. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Have you seen Mr. Seresin?” Y/n’s heart dropped.

“No,” was her response, heat coating her skin. “I thought he was here already.” Collins took a peek at his watch, groaning in annoyance.

“You guys are the last ones so that gives me hope he’s just running late,” Motioning for Y/n to follow him, the man leads the two out of the makeshift dressing room. “You’ll wait by the end of the side stage while the other performers have their turn. Then I’ll announce--hopefully both of you--and we’ll call this showcase a success. Which by the way,” he spins around, stopping Y/n in her tracks, “Do you happen to have a backup plan by any chance if our friend decides to be a no-show?”

Y/n stuttered lightly, hands up in a ‘Not really?’ She goes, “I mean I can whip something up--Not to toot my own horn but I’m pretty good at what I do and will dance to any music you give me.”

“Fantastic,” Collins snaps his finger, “We’ll work with that.” Spinning back again, Collins high tails it to the stage, Y/n taking claim to a chair a few paces from the steps. She spotted Nat seated with her family, Y/n’s own folks at a table in the far back. Almost like they were hiding from the rest of the guests, causing her heart to sink further.

Collins opened the showcase with an animated greeting to the audience. After some announcements and thanks to staff and sponsors who helped put the showcase together, he introduced the first of 10 performers on the list. Nearly all were the teens and children Y/n taught with Jake, the woman standing from her chair to cheer them on. At the eighth performance she froze at the sight of the blonde man behind the curtain. He hadn’t seen her yet, so Y/n ducked back to her chair, peeking slightly to find him conversing with Collins.

‘Well looks like I’m not getting out of this one,’ she thought to herself.

When the second to last performer appeared, Y/n found Nat in the audience. The two shared a look, Nat able to see the unease seeping off Y/n, and throwing her thumbs up in hopes to relieve some of it. The (y/h/c) shook her head slightly, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless with a small smile.

Mr. Collins glides to the stage one final time, “And now,” a quick glance to his clipboard, then to the side of the stage opposite of Y/n, a smile curling on his lips. “We have a very special presentation from two people who were kind enough to help me put this whole shabang together,” raising a hand out he announces, “Please welcome the beautiful and ever so talented, here to bring you the time of your life, Jake Seresin and Y/n L/n!!”

There was a light applause from the adults overshadowed by the children, teens, staff members, and Natasha. Y/n’s parents were unreactive, glancing at her siblings wondering if they knew to which they received shrugs.

Still sitting in a chair just off the stage, not moving despite the lights flashing on her, Y/n’s head was down. The door was not far. She could easily make an escape. But she felt eyes on from those within view and felt trapped. To run now would be a lifetime of embarrassment and shame.

“C’mon, Y/n,” she scolded under her breath. “It’s just one dance.” "Then you can go back to New York and pray this whole thing never happened.”

As the thought left her mind, footsteps came toward her, and Y/n glanced up to find Jake, dressed in black slacks and buttoned down enough to make a girl weak in the knees, staring down at her with an expression that took her breath away. It was as though they were the only two in the room, much like in the studio. Everyone else simply disappeared. Leaving two people who danced around feelings for years only to come together at that very moment.

Whatever hostility Y/n had for Jake was gone. She saw the pure love in his eyes. Pleading with her to give him a chance.

Simply holding his hand out to her, Jake held her gaze and spoke clearly for everyone to hear, “Nobody puts Y/n in a corner.” Had her heart not been beating at 100 miles per second, Y/n would’ve laughed at the reference. Considering how fitting it was to their situation.

The beginning lyrics of the song echoed as Jake led her to the middle of the stage. Already igniting applause from the audience who recognized it. “Now I’ve had the time of my life.” An arm snaked around her waist, pulling her to him. Never once straying eye contact “No, I’ve never felt this way before.” Y/n dipped back, Jake keeping her from falling to the floor until she was upright, “Yes I swear, It’s the truth. And I owe it all to you.”

“‘Cause I’ve,” Jake came around to her left, Y/n bringing up a hand which his own followed the trail of her arm. She caressed the side of his face. His group of friends hooting and hollering, “had the time of my life. And I owe it all to you.” A gentle kiss was placed on her nose.

Cheers from their students erupted when Jake spun Y/n, bringing a smile to both their faces as they began their routine. “I’ve been waiting for so long. Now I’ve finally found someone to stand by me.” Natasha whistled from her seat, “Yeah!”

“We saw the writing on the wall. As we felt this magical fantasy.”

All through the dance Y/n never once stopped grinning. Jake’s aura, the nostalgia of the song, and the love she had for dance were contagious. “Now with passion in our eyes, there’s no way we could disguise it secretly.” Unbeknownst to the woman, her parents and siblings were watching in awe. Having been the first time they truly watched her perform. “So we take each other’s hands,” Jake spun her again, Y/n throwing her arms in the air, head swaying back and forth. “‘Cause we seem to understand the urgency.”

“Just remember,” the pace picked up. “You’re the one thing. I can’t get enough of. So I’ll tell you something,” Y/n was lifted, dress flowing as Jake twirled them in circles. The audience applauded with glee.

“I’ve had the time of my life. No, I never felt this way before.” The cheers heightened when the two pressed against each other, the sight very intimate. “Yes, I swear, it’s the truth. And I owe it all to you.” Jake snuck a kiss to her cheek, moving away to leap off the stage. “Hey, baby!” Y/n tilted her head back in laughter, fingers on the hem of her dress skirt and swaying to the beat.

“With my body and soul, I want you more than you’ll ever know. So we’ll just let it go, don’t be afraid to lose control, no.” It was Jake’s moment to shine. He fed off the energy of the crowd, winking at his boys in the back hyping him up. Y/n caught Natasha’s thumbs up, the two sharing a silent victory. “Yes I know what’s on your mind. When you say, ‘Stay with me tonight’.”

“Stay with me. Just remember,” Jake danced up and down the aisle, “You’re the one thing. I can’t get enough of. So I’ll tell you something,” locking eyes, they gave each other a nod. “This could be love,” staff helped Y/n off the stage, the woman bolting toward Jake, “because--.” Squeezing every muscle in her body, Y/n exhaled in relief as she was successfully lifted in the air.

“I’ve had the time of my life. No, I’ve never felt this way before.” It was a spectacular scene around them with everyone jumping from their seats, in awe of what they were witnessing. “Yes, I swear (yes I swear), it’s the truth. And I owe it all to you.”

Y/n giggled the whole way down, arms sliding over Jake’s shoulder who shared her happiness. “‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life. And I’ve searched through every open door,” Several people joined in the celebration. Spouses dancing together, children off beat but having the time of their life like the song called for. “‘Til I found the truth. And I owe it all to you.” Even Y/n’s parents managed to get on their feet.

Finally seeing their daughter for who she was.

“Are you okay?” he asked her, the first words spoken between the two. It made her heart skip, filled with an overwhelming surge of happiness.

“I feel like I’m on cloud 9,” the response had Jake chuckle, pulling her closer to him as he voiced, “me too, doll.”

They kept their gaze on one another, swaying chest to chest, the tune became softer, “Now I’ve had the time of my life. No I never felt this way before (never felt this way),” Jake’s hand caressed her cheek, Y/n leaning into it. “Yes, I swear, It’s the truth (It’s the truth),” the two leaned in at the same time, Bill Medley’s voice belting the final lyric of the bridge, “And I owe it all to you!”

The kiss set off a million fireworks. Just like it did the first time. They didn’t know if the cheers around them were intended for the two, but they didn’t stop the kiss to find out. Y/n’s hand covering Jake’s on her face, brushing her fingers over his knuckles, “I’ve had the time of my life. No, I never felt this way before (never felt this way). Yes, I swear, it’s the truth (it’s the truth). And I owe it all to you.” Pulling away, Jake’s touch remained.

“Be my dance partner,” were his words, pushing through the ending chorus. ‘Be mine,’ “Forever.”

“‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life. And I’ve searched through every open door.”

Y/n brushed her lips against his. Uttering nothing more than a simple, “Yes.”

“‘Til I found the truth. And I owe it all to you…”

…………..

TGM tag list: @avaleineandafryingpan @caitsymichelle13 @poppyalice2001 @cutelittlepotatofry @luckyladycreator2 @americaarse @elenavampire21 @back-tooo-black @wildellaa @artemissunn @pinkpantheris @kmc1989

[cherrycola27]

Father, Forgive Me

Warnings: Religious AU! Preacher Jake. Cult activities and dark religious themes. Blood, gore, violence, language. Minors DNI. 18+

Masterlist Next Part

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Prologue: For I have Sinned

There are a few defining characteristics that one must have to be considered a good leader.

Kind eyes, a bright smile, quick wit, a firm handshake, a charming personality, and a silver tongue that could sell ice to a polar bear. Most people only needed a few of these to be convincing enough for someone to blindly follow them.

But, if someone possessed all of these qualities and topped it off with a southern drawl and movie star face and the wrong intentions, well—they could be downright— deadly.

That's exactly what happened to the good people of Ginger Ridge, North Carolina. A devilishly handsome young reverend rolled into their town. Reverend Smith. He was young, mysterious, —different.

He fixed up the old white church at the top of Ridge Hill. He came to town and invited the people to hear his sermons. At first, he seemed amazing. Charming, caring, sweet. Everyone loved him. No— they adored him—especially the younger folks who seemed lost in their faith.

Soon, he started hosting "special" prayer groups for the lost teens and young adults of Ginger Ridge. Many of the older folks stopped attending after this. They felt like Father Smith wasn't preaching the word to them anymore. They felt like he had changed. His teachings became— darker. They townspeople tried to keep They young folks away from him, but it was no use.

The lost youth continued to flock to him like moths to flame. Blindly holding on to every word he said. In their mind, Father Jonas Smith was the mouthpiece of God, and they would do anything to please them. Maybe that's why after his disappearance, there were over dozen blonde haired, green eyed babes born to some unwed mothers in Ginger Ridge.

................

The full moon hung high in the sky that night in the sleepy mountain town of Ginger Ridge. It was peaceful as a warm summer wind blew in through the open windows of the townspeople's homes. That peace would soon be disturbed by the sound screams and cries for mercy as Reverend Smith's "lost youth" carried out his sinister plan.

When the local law enforcement from the next town over was tipped off, they immediately contacted the FBI. Agents came into the small mountain community and couldn't believe their eyes. Blood and bodies of men and women filled the streets and homes. The youth and children were nowhere to be found. Upon further investigation, they were found in the white church at the top of Ridge Hill.

All of them were clothed and singing a sermon in white robes that had been stained and splattered with the crimson red blood of their family and friends.

When they were taken in for questioning, each one said the same thing. "Reverend Smith preached the good word to us. He is truly a prophet of God. Our souls will be welcomed in the Great Hereafter now that the sacrifice has been given." What was even more disturbing than that were the roughly fifteen or so girls between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four who all claimed that they had been extra blessed because they had been selected by God himself to carry the child of Reverend Smith and raise the next generations of prophets.

The FBI attempted to locate Reverend Jonas Smith after that night, only to find that he never existed.

After months of searching for him, the trail went cold, and the case was given to you, Agent Y/N Walters. After a few weeks of digging you did stumble upon a similar case from Massachusetts, except the man believed to be behind it was someone named Father Jackson Simmons and a case from Texas but the person of interests name in that one was James Simon.

You read each file and realized that Jonas, Jackson, and James all had to be the same man. You just had to figure out who he really was and stop him before the events of Ginger Ridge were repeated.

..........

The windows were down on his beat up late eighties model pickup truck as Jake Seresin drove down the highway. He fiddled with the radio station landing on a Beach Boys song as he drove past the "Welcome to California" sign.

The sun was just setting as he pulled into the small seaside motel in the town of Del Angelo. He adjusted his tie and grabbed his duffle bag before exiting his vehicle.

"Good evening." The older woman at the desk greeted him.

"Evening Ma'am." Jake said as he walked up to the counter. He dropped his bag by his feet and set his worn Bible and keys on the counter.

"How can I help you?" She asked him.

"I called yesterday. I have a reservation for the next few weeks under the name Saunders." He said before giving her a wide smile.

"Ah, yes, I remember. Jason Sauders. I have the reservation right here. A room on the third floor, end of the hall, just as you requested." She smiled at him before handing him the key. Jake handed her a large stack of bills and gave her a wink.

"My name is Ethel if you need anything, and if I'm not around, you can ask my husband David or my daughter Mary-Ann." She told him.

"Thank you, Miss Ethel. You know there actually is something you might be able to help me with." He said.

"What's that?" Ethel asked him.

"When I was driving in town, I noticed an old boarded up church. Any idea who I could talk to about fixing it up?" Jake asked her.

"You'd probably need to talk to Mayor Andrews about that. Is there any reason you want to fix up that old place?" She asked him.

"Well, Ethel, my full name is Reverend Jason Sauders, and I was hoping to fix up that church so I could bring the word of God to the people of Del Angelo." Jake told her.

"A preacher? My word, we haven't had one of those here in years. Lord knows we need one. You might be just what we need around here, Reverend Sauders." Ethel beamed.

"I hope so. I know that after I'm finished, Del Angelo will never be the same." Jake smirked at her before grabbing his things and heading to his room. He chuckled to himself, knowing that the first part of his plan had already been put in motion.

Tagging some who might be interested: @thedroneranger @roosterscock @shanimallina87 @desert-fern @teacupsandtopgun @mayhemmanaged @lovinglyeternal @lovingbradshawafterdark @wkndwlff @roosterforme @daggerspare-standingby @dakotakazansky @startrekfangirl2233 @hecate-steps-on-me @cassiemitchell @na-ta-sh-aa @blueoorchid @milestellerlover @katieshook02 @mak-32 @je-suis-prest-rachel @soulmates8 @ohgodnotagainn @diorrfairy @eli2447 @xoxabs88xox @potato-girl99981 @djs8891 @roosterbruiser @roosters-girl @sebsxphia @roostette

Hope yall enjoyed my unmedicated ADHD filled dumpster fire

[randoauthor]

Bagman (J.S)

Pairings: Hangman x Fem!Reader, Sister!Natasha x Sister!Reader

Warnings: some suggestive lines, probably should be 18+

Word Count:1.1K

Author's Note: Hiii, first we are so close to 150 followers!! Secondly, I will be posting an announcement here in the next few days so keep an eye out for that!

Summary: Being Natasha's sister you were also given a very sassy attitude, which oddly, Hangman can't get enough of.

MasterList!

Natasha Louise Trace was five minutes and 23 seconds older.

Yet I always came first at everything we did.

"Natty!" I cried as I spotted my twin sister in the airport, cheesy valet sign in hand.

"Bambi!" She yelled back dropping the sign to pull me into a hug. "Oh my god, I've missed you!!" You nod in agreement both of you falling into a pit of giggles.

Natasha planned to show me around North Island the best she could, and we had a blast that day after not seeing each other in nearly four years.

The two of us had finally landed at the Hard Deck for some drinks and food, and so that I could meet all of her friends and the people I would be helping.

"Boys, this is my sister, callsign Bambi." I offer a short wave before Nat and I are bombarded with questions.

"You have a sister?"

"There's more than one of you?"

"Who is older?"

"Easy there fellas," she chuckled, "to answer all these questions at once, she's my twin."

The boys around her seem astonished at the fact that we were twins.

"What does she do?" a quiet boy with glasses finally spoke up.

"I am an aerospace engineer, but I found a love for F-18, and here we are," I say confidently.

"Ah so not only is she prettier than Phoenix but she's smarter too." A voice spoke up from somewhere within the crowd, and Nat rolled her eyes.

"Bambi, this is Bagman." She states blankly.

"Hangman," He shoots back.

"Whatever." She snaps.

The two seemed tense for the rest of the night but I didn't want to pry because I was having fun with my sister. Yet, it felt as though someone was watching me.

"Trace!" a voice boomed, and my sister and I turned around to find its source. And then a moment later we hear the sinister laughing of Bagman. I noticed his stare linger for a moment on me and I felt my cheeks heat up.

Jake was good-looking, that was obvious to everyone. Including himself. His cocky attitude and poor attempt at picking girls up somehow made him more attractive than I could ever imagine. The way his hair moved when he laughed and how even though he was trying to pick up random girls I was always the one who fell back into his gaze after they turned him down.

But Natasha would kill me.

She would have me pummeled to a pulp if she found out I was trying to make moves on her little sister. But Bambi was beautiful. She was the complete opposite of Phoenix, her hair curly and pulled into a ponytail while Phoenix kept hers in a tight bun. She was a genius, I have no idea how someone would go from wanting to practice Aerospace Engineering to an F-18 technician. It makes no sense yet somehow she seemed just right for that job.

"Yo baby Trace!"

I turn around at the sound of my name only to find Hangman sitting in the corner watching my every move.

"What do you want Bagman?" I shoot back a playful smirk falling to my lips. He chuckled softly before walking over to me, invading my personal space.

"How about we make a deal." He says softly into my ear. I glance quickly around to make sure no one was paying attention, thankfully no one was.

"And what would that be?" I say with a breathy tone.

"If I beat you in pool I get to take you on a date." He says with a smirk, "And if I win?" I shoot back.

He chuckled softly.

"I'll eat you out."

I watched as her cheeks turned to a bright pink and her eyes grew wide, praying that nobody hears her.

She took a shaky deep breath before meeting my eyes.

"Deal."

Hangman smiled before handing me a pool stick, I took a deep breath as we quickly drew a crowd of on-lookers, our game of pool getting exciting.

He was winning, he was cocky and he was winning. Ball after ball was shot by Hangman and ball after ball sunk into a pocket. Until by some grace of god I manage to shoot most of my balls in one round, leaving me two balls less than Hangman. He looks at me playfully before 'accidental' missing his shot pushing the turn onto me.

I look at him with a smirk before sinking my final two balls,

"Eight-ball right corner pocket," I say with a proud grin on my face before sinking the final ball to win the game.

The bar around me erupts into cheers as I am crowded by pilots saying a jumbled mix of 'how did you beat him?' 'hangman never wins' and finally,

"Why is Hangman staring at you?" Nat says almost defensively.

I glance over at him to find that he is leaning against the wall watching in amusement an all-knowing smirk lay on his face.

I give Nat a shrug before excusing myself to step outside, I let out a sigh as the salt-mixed sea breeze hit me. The sound of the ocean was almost loud enough to drown out the sound of the bar door opening as Hangman joined me outside.

"I believe you have a deal to uphold Bagman," I say with a taunting tone. He smiles before coming up behind me, wrapping his hands around my waist.

"It's Hangman," he says back with a whisper into my ear.

"Whatever," I say playfully, feeling his hand travel slowly up my torso to where it laid gently along my collarbone. I gave a soft whimper as it continued its trail to my throat squeezing slightly.

And she was a goner.

What was a stone-cold outer shell had since melted away as I kissed along her neck, thankful that no one inside was paying attention to us.

The small whimpers and moans were driving me crazy and I couldn't wait to see what she tasted like.

I allowed my hands to roam her body before spinning her around so that I could finally kiss her.

Her lips tasted like cotton candy and her skin was as soft as velvet. I picked her up with ease before setting her gently upon the railing of the deck. The breeze was cool but the heat we were creating was burning us up. We were too enthralled in our own little world that we didn't hear the bar door open or my friends pour out onto the deck.

We did however hear Natasha as she shrieked.

"What the fuck are you doing to my sister?"

Taglist!

@itscheybaby

@turningtoclown

@daryldixonstorm

@Dilfsandtherapy

@Nickie-amore

@malindacath

@luckyladycreator2

@sadpetalsstuff

@Shanimallina87

@Wishingwell-2

@Xoxoloverb

@Majormaybe1

@Mizzy-pop

@Saramaple

@Hope-love-equality2

@toothhurtyam

@beaner-life-23

@fogle97

@justanothermagicalsara

@tallrock35

@callsigns-roo-and-bag

@marchingicenotes7

@scoopsahoy008@oxxolovemelikeyoudooxxo

[honkytonk-hangman]

Good In Bed

Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Reader

Summary: Jake has made it crystal clear to you that you're only friends with benefits, so why did he go and delete your dating apps?

Warnings: brief mentions of smut but not smutty, jake kinda being an asshole, reader getting upset and yelling at him, fluff ending all the way baybay

Notes: u have no clue how much i love u @roleycoleyland for literally being the reason this got finished &lt;;3 <;3 <3 title from Good In Bed by Dua Lipa <3

Masterlist

Jake pumps his hips hard into yours one final time, before he at last collapses beside you, chest sweaty and heaving, his eyes closed and his face raised to the ceiling. Your position had shifted from the pure force of your fucking, and somehow your head had fallen off the side of his bed, leaving you hanging slightly as you too try to catch your breath.

“Damn, I’ve missed this,” he says a short time later, shifting himself fully out from between your legs, and tucking his hands behind his head, the afterglow of a good lay lingering on him beautifully. Once upon a time his words might’ve sparked pride or even joy, but now they’re just one more cut that stings painfully before being swallowed up. You note sourly he doesn’t say he’s missed you, despite the fact he’s been gone ten weeks now, and against your better judgement you missed him.

You lay there on his bed in the late evening and regret every moment that led you to this point. You shouldn't have picked up when he called tonight, you shouldn't have come over for drinks, and you definitely shouldn't have had sex with him again.

It’s not that Jake isn't a nice guy, well, he isn’t always, but for the most part he was a mile more decent than most of the guys you’d actually dated in the past. From the start he was straightforward and blunt with you about what this thing between you would be, how much he was offering you, and to his credit, he rarely seemed to step outside of that. And like an idiot, you’d gone and gotten feelings for him anyway.

You should have stopped seeing him long before his most recent deployment, and you shouldn't have been there the night before he left for him to hit you with another straightforward and blunt assertion that you were only fuck buddies, nothing more.

The thing is, you and Jake got on well, so well in fact most people assumed that you were an item, and at this point maybe you were blinded by your feelings, but you couldn’t exactly see why you shouldn't be, aside form the fact that Jake didn’t seem to be interested in any sort of commitment, despite what that offered was basically what you had now, only he didn’t have to go out of his way to break your heart once a week.

After the last time, before he’d left for ten weeks, you’d sworn off him for good. You put his name in your phone as ‘DO NOT CALL’, you downloaded a few dating apps, you’d even been on a few dates… and then Jake had sauntered back into your life, invited you over for the night and just like none of your progress existed in the first place, you’d come at his beck and call.

You lay there feeling pathetic as it sinks in what you’ve done, but swallow back your emotions for now. You were an adult, you chose to do this with him tonight, you knew what it would do. Warm fingers make you jump as they wrap around your wrist, and you glance up to watch as Jake effortlessly tugs you back onto the bed, closer to him, never letting his hand leave your skin as he releases you to skim his fingers up and over your shoulder, drawing you even closer until you’re almost cuddling. You nearly pull away.

Jake wasn’t a post-sex cuddler, not really anyway. Aftercare? No problem, but this wasn’t exactly the sort of session that required aftercare, so you’re more than a little surprised by his continued affections, staying still as he curls himself onto his side to face you, hand dropping to grab at your thigh, which he hikes over his, as if this was something you normally did.

“You may need to give me a few before we go again,” you tell him, realising this position was probably just him gearing up for round two. Jake peeks an eye open at you, and lifts an eyebrow as though what you’ve said is very funny.

“I don’t think I’ve got more to give tonight,” he says, adjusting your leg around him again, pulling you in even more. You refrain from frowning, if only to avoid explaining to him why. Jake closes his eyes again and lets out a contented sigh. His hand stays curled around your leg, though he begins rhythmically smoothing his thumb back and forth over your skin after a few moments, and you begin to wonder at what point he’s going to withdraw from you like he usually does.

Luckily you’re saved from the dreaded wait, your phone buzzing loud and distractingly. You use it as the perfect excuse to extract yourself from him, instead moving to a sitting up cross-legged position as you reach for your phone, and draw the screen closer to your chest when you see who it’s from. Jake seems only a little disgruntled by your movement, though gets over it quickly, replacing his hand almost exactly where it once was around your thigh.

“What's going on?” he asks casually, eyes closed again as you tap out a reply. You spare him half a glance, but don’t feel much point in lying to him about things, seeing as he’d never done so with you.

“Just this guy I met on Tinder a while back.” you tell him lightly, completely missing how his eyes pop open immediately and he stares up at you with an unreadable expression.

“You’re on Tinder?” he asks, voice blank, finally making you look down at him properly. You blink and shrug, before going back to your phone.

“Sure, I mean, I don’t know how else to meet people these days, I kinda don’t get out much when Dagger’s not around,” you inform him, shifting in your place slightly as he withdraws his hand from your thigh to lay over his sternum instead.

Feeling the mood shift, but unsure as to why, you force out a laugh and shrug.

“It’s been sorta nice, trying to get back out there again properly, not just, you know, settling or whatever.” that makes Jake react clearly, frowning at you while pushing himself into an upright position. “Settling?!” he repeats, though it’s not really a question. You stare at him in confusion.

“I don’t know, I guess I’m getting past the point in my life where I wanna be doing this,” you getsure between the two of you. “All the time.”

Jake blinks at you in clear offence, before quickly his entire demeanour seems to change all at once, and his expression falls into a somewhat familiar cocky grin.

“Alright, I get it,” he says, only further confusing you and you’re caught off guard enough that when he reaches out and plucks your phone from your hands, you don’t have time to react.

“Hey! Jake!” you protest, suddenly a little panicked as he very easily plays keep-away from you, using one of his hands to do something on your screen, while the other easily bats away you various attempts to swipe your phone back.

“You don’t need any of this shit, alright?” Jake tells you almost condescendingly.

“Jake!” you warn, your voice growing less calm by the moment.

“There, gone. Deleted.” he says proudly, before at last turning your phone screen around to face you, and letting you take it back off him, which you do hurriedly, snatching it away and standing up from the bed.

“What the fuck?!” you demand, looking agape between your now tinder-less phone, and Jake. The blond looks more relaxed now, and all of a sudden any thought of keeping your brooding and your feelings to yourself goes out the window. Your eyes prickle.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Why would you do that?!” you shout. Jake has the smarts to at least drop his smug grin, but now he stares up at you in even more annoying surprise.

“I was just–” he starts, but you don’t even care what he has to say anymore.

“You don’t get to leave for ten weeks after, especially after reminding me that you don’t want me, and then just show up again and ruin my chances at finding someone who actually does!” your raised voice wobbles, and you don’t bother trying to hide your sniffling as you continue to lay into him. “That’s not fair! You’re being unfair!” you cry. “How many girls did you take home while you were away, huh?”

Jake blinks at you, a shade of indignance colouring his features now.

“None.” he tells you, but you can only scoff.

“Right. And how many did you flirt with? How many did you buy drinks for?” he stays silent at those questions, either not wanting to answer or no longer seeing the point in the face of your tirade. You stare at him until your eyesight blurs completely before at last you reel back from him.

Gasping a little at the state you’ve worked yourself into, you turn half away from him and wipe desperately at your eyes.

“Baby–” Jake starts, his fingers brushing your wrist, but you jerk away this time, pulling your hand and your phone to your chest.

“I need to go. I shouldn’t have come,” you tell him, collecting your clothes quickly before escaping into his bathroom.

You can't help but feel a little pathetic as you cry harder once you’re in the relative privacy of his ensuite, a strange but familiar disappointment lancing through you when he doesn't come after you. However upon swinging the door back open once you’re dressed, you find Jake standing in front of his bed, sweatpants now fastened around his hips, and a determined expression on his features.

“I’m not letting you leave like this,” he tells you firmly, as if he has any say in what you do. You scoff at him, but don’t cover up your still dripping eyes. If anything, his resolve seems to strengthen.

“Look, be pissed at me, I deserve it, but I’m not letting you drive home when you’ve been drinking,” his voice leaves little room for argument, and even though in the back of your mind you know he’s actually being the decent version of himself right now, you can’t help but snarl at him in disgust.

“Fine! Then I’ll call an uber. I’m not staying here.'' You're aware you sound a little childish, and you feel a small pang of regret when Jake’s face flashes with hurt that is quickly covered up by sternness. Going against all the signs you’re putting out to him right now, Jake moves forward and stops your movements to find your shoes by laying both hands on your shoulders. When you look up at him, eyes still blinking away tears, he seems sincere and pleading.

“Just… just stay here, I’ll sleep in the lounge, alright? Just don’t go home like this.”

You want to snap at him that he has no right to ask that of you, but somehow you think he already knows that, and is still asking anyway. You realise dully, that just like you always wanted, Jake was chasing you now, though, you aren’t sure you really want it anymore.

“I wasn’t trying to upset you–” he cuts himself off, just as you shrug out of his hold.

“Please do not talk to me right now.” is all you can manage by way of agreeing to his terms.

You can barely bring yourself to look at him as he goes about collecting up his pillow and a spare blanket, and a part of you feels cruel, but the bigger part of you is proud that you’ve finally put your foot down. Maybe at some other time you’d let him talk, but right now all you can think about or hear is every moment prior to this night when he’s hurt you.

You’d hoped you’d at least be able to fall asleep somewhat fast, but the longer you lay there, the longer you go over and over every little detail of your night until you find yourself downstairs, wrapped up in the throw blanket from Jake’s bed, and standing a few feet away from him on the couch. He sits up immediately when he noticed you, chucking his phone down and focusing intently on you. You note he doesn’t open his mouth, or attempt to speak yet, and you almost regret telling him not to earlier.

You stare at one another hard, until you have to suppress a small hiccup, at which point you frustratedly wipe your face with the back of your hand and cross your arms in front of you.

“Why did you do that?” You ask, amazed your voice sounds as firm as it does. Jake stares up at you with a mixture of uncertainty and something you want to say is remorse but you can’t bring yourself to believe right now that he would be.

“I’m not good at this stu—”

“—No, tell me why you did it.” You cut him off, not willing to listen to his self-pity right now. Jake closes his mouth and blinks up at you, staring intently for a few moments before he shifts in his seat. “Did you miss me?” You prompt after he continues to stare, eyes somewhat pleading. You understand relationships and vulnerability are hard for him, you’re willing to give him this olive branch for now. To his credit, Jake immediately nods, his hands coming together across his spread thighs to wring anxiously.

“Yes. I’m sorry—”

“—If you ever try any of that shit again, I’m kicking your ass,” you tell him. Jake blinks, then straightens up, and nods again. Your lip wobbles and this time when he reaches a hand out for you, he doesn’t grab you, but waits for you to shuffle forward toward him before pulling you in.

He tugs you forward to come stand between his legs, and bows his forehead to rest against your abdomen, his hands anchored at your hips.

“I don’t want you to think I don’t want you,” Jake mumbles, loud enough for you to hear, and you know this is a big admission for him.

“I know it probably doesn’t feel like it, but you can just, you know, tell me that…” you reply, letting your hands fall into his hair where you begin to smooth down some of the mess you made of it earlier. “I want you,” you say, realising while he may subconsciously know that, you’ve also never told him before. “I would never have let you mess me around if I didn’t,” you add with a short laugh, and flick his ear gently. Jake huffs, and lifts his head so he’s looking up at you now, chin resting on your belly.

“I don’t want you to date anyone else. I should have told you that back when I realised it…” he says softly, looking for the first time since you’ve known him like holding your eye contact is uncomfortable for him. “Is that okay?” He asks even quieter.

“Only if you don’t half ass it,” you peer down at him with playful scepticism.

Jake’s fingers at your hips tighten and his eyes narrow.

“I don’t half-ass anything,” he tells you sourly, before making a face. “Tonight notwithstanding.” he adds after a moment. You can’t help it then, you chortle, and hold the sides of his face. Jake smiles, seemingly proud of himself for making you laugh, and he adjusts his hold on you, moving his hands down to tug you into him, so your knees buckle and you’re forced to catch yourself on his shoulders just as he manoeuvres you to sit on his thigh.

“I’m sorry,” he says, far more seriously, leaning his forehead against yours now that you’re face to face. You cup his cheeks again, and dip forward to press a chaste kiss to his lips.

“You will be out on the curb so fast if you fuck me around again,” you tell him cheerfully, making him laugh this time.

“Noted,” he says, before he steals another kiss, longer this time.

When he pulls back at last, you feel yourself relax fully against him, and move to rest your head in the crook of his neck.

“Can we go to bed now?” he asks after a few seconds. You nod, stifling a suspiciously timed yawn, and yelp a little when he scoops your legs under his arm and stands, grinning smugly all the way back upstairs.

[autumnleaves1991-blog]

"Fine, I'll go with you." Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x F! Reader

Summary: It was exciting waiting for your boyfriend amongst the sea of families. If only your boyfriend didn't have a whole family waiting for him too. Thank god Lt. Seresin is there to save the day.

Pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x F! Reader

Warnings: Language, Cheating (not Jake!), protective Jake, asshole ex-boyfriend, military inaccuracies I'm sure.

Cross Posted on AO3

The homemade sign feels heavy in your hands. Your heart pounds steadily in your chest as a sea of blue uniforms begins to unload from the massive carrier. It feels incredible to be drowning in this sea of love and reunions. Families crying in each other's arms as they make it through another deployment, another separation. 

It would only be a matter of time before you could feel the same euphoria. You step on your tip toes, trying to seek him out when someone stumbles into you from behind. “Sorry,” she shakes her head, “I’m a mess right now.” 

She certainly looks it, a newborn strapped to her chest in a carrier and a toddler barely holding on, trying to bolt every chance he gets. “No worries,” you’re quick to reply, glancing down at the large sign and balloons in her hand. 

You pause, reading and re-reading it over again. Nicolas Arias. There is no doubt you could be reading it wrong and when you get a glance at the toddler again, your stomach churns. He is a spitting image of Nick…your Nick. You carefully fold up the sign and go to turn when you hear the little boy shout, “DADDY!” at the top of his lungs. 

Why you glance back, you don’t know but your chest aches when you see him, his smile blinding as he bends down to pick up the little boy. “Hi buddy,” you hear him shout, lifting him off the ground and spinning him around. He looks back at the woman, his eyes softening at the bundle against her chest, “and hello Princess,” he coos, “nice to meet you, I’m your daddy.” 

The tears spring to your eyes, and you quickly suck in a deep breath when his eyes lift to meet yours. He pauses, a deer caught in the headlights, you can see it, the raw panic on his face. Before you turn and walk away, you’d be damned if you were going to ruin this happy homecoming. While Nick is a fucking cheating bastard, and you would certainly be sending an anonymous letter to his wife later, they didn’t deserve this today. 

All around you is love and reunions, but instead, you just feel sick. The parking lot is jam-packed and you look around before stepping onto the road, letting out a gasp when someone grabs your arm and quickly pulls you back into a broad chest. A truck roars out of the lot, a handful of sailors inside shouting about freedom and shots. 

“Fuck,” you turn, taking in the man before you, he’s gorgeous; with blonde hair and eyes that look like the sea after a storm, “thank you,” you whisper, taking a step back when you realize you’re still in his arms. 

He smiles, but it doesn’t really meet his eyes, “not a problem, darling,” his accent surprises you, maybe Texan with a slight twang. He points down at the sign crumbled in your hand, “Didn’t find who you were looking for?” 

“Oh,” you glance at the sign, tossing it into the nearby trash can, “I found him alright. Along with his wife, newborn, and toddler.” 

He grimaces, “What a fucking turd waffle.” 

You can’t help the giggle that escapes, “a turd waffle?” 

He grins, “if the shoe fits.” Suddenly you notice a figure rushing towards you and you groan, turning quickly away mumbling obscenities under your breath. 

“Sweetheart,” Nick runs to your side, pulling you in for a hug, but you stay stiff as a board. “I can explain everything.” You step out of his arms putting some distance between you, the mystery man steps up behind you, towering over you like a looming bodyguard. 

“I don’t think we have anything else to say to each other Nick,” you wrap your arms around your waist, “seeing you married with two kids was enough of an explanation for me.” 

Nick stares down the man behind you, “Hey buddy, can you give us some privacy?” 

“Lieutenant Commander Seresin to you, Ensign,” he stands straighter, Nick pailing as he recognizes the name, “and I’ll leave when the lady tells me to.” 

“Please don’t go,” you whisper stepping back closer into his arms, one of his massive hands resting on your waist, strong and sure. 

“Seems like she’s made up her mind,” he grins, confidence coming off him in waves. “Why don’t you go back to your family and save this young lady the trouble of putting up with any more of your bullshit.” 

“I’ll go when I’m good and ready,” Nick takes a step closer, reaching for your arm, “sweetheart you just have to let me explain.” A wall of man blocks his path, “get the fuck out of my way,” Nick seethes, “I want to talk to my girl.” 

You step around the Lieutenent, “I’m not your girl anymore, you’re married for Christ's sake, with TWO kids,” you hold up two fingers for emphasis. 

“It didn’t bother you before,” he shrugs, “why should it now?” 

“I didn’t fucking KNOW,” you shout, drawing attention from several others around you, “do you really think I’d be here standing like an idiot waiting for you if I knew you were married?! Do you really think I would be dating you or sleeping with you, if I had any idea you had a wife?!” 

Nick looks around at the onlookers before letting out a scoff, “I knew you were a whore. Looks like you already replaced me, ain’t that right? And with someone of higher rank.” He laughs, “Keep this up baby and you can fuck an Admiral before the year ends.” 

“Stand down, Ensign Arias,” your protector steps closer, his jaw clenched, “go back to your family and leave now. Before I court-martial your ass.” 

“What the hell for?” Nick shouts. 

“Harassing civilians, disgracing the uniform, threatening an Officer, the list goes on and on.” Nick pales before he spits at the ground. 

“You can have her,” he glares at you, “wasn’t that good of pussy anyways.” The Lieutenant takes a threatening step closer, and you grab his arm while Nick scurries away like a rat. 

You both watch him walk away before you let go of his arm, “thank you,” you whisper, feeling the tears well up in your eyes, “I don’t know what would have happened if you weren’t here.” 

“He really is a turd waffle,” he mumbles and you burst out laughing, the tears spilling down your cheeks. He hesitantly lifts a hand, brushing the tears off your cheeks, and you lean into his palm closing your eyes, his thumb brushing back and forth. “Jake,” he mumbles and you slowly open your eyes, blinking at him, “My name is Lieutenant Commander Jake Seresin. 

You tell him your name and he repeats it back, the words like honey on his lips. “It’s nice to meet you,” he repeats it again making you shiver. “Would you like to join me for a drink? I know this really great Navy bar called the Hard Deck, and I was going to meet up with a few of my fellow officers and their families.” 

“One question,” you step closer, and his hand drops from your cheek, moving to your waist as he whispers anything under his breath. “Are you married or currently seeing anyone? No secret mistresses or lovers I should be concerned about?” 

He grins, tugging you by the hooks in your denim jeans closer his lips ghosting over yours, “no, ma’am, I’m a one-woman type of man. And right now,” he presses his lips to yours in a soft kiss, stars exploding across your vision, before pulling back, “I’d like that woman to be you.” 

“Fine, I’ll go with you, but only on one condition,” you wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him down and closer to your lips. 

“What’s that?” he smiles, all the way up to his eyes, glancing down at you like you’re the only one around for miles. 

“You do that again,” and he does. 

A/N: Comments are appreciated, and yes this is me begging.

[bradshawsbitch]

touch me | jake seresin x reader

plot; you've been seeing Jake for some time now, and when he invites you to bonfire night with his friends - you go a little shy on him.

request; yes, nonny requested with the prompt;

hesitantly tugging the other's fabric of their shirt or sleeve, testing the waters

disclaimer; I'm aware that 'testing the waters' is a saying in the context of the prompts, but I found these pics on pinterest and it sort of started a bit of a plot in my head.

warnings; 18+, afab!reader, no use of y/n, pet names, touch starved, fluff, jake being an oblivious extrovert, skinny dipping, l-bombs, soft smut, p in v, unprotected sex in the ocean (make smart decisions folks, this is fiction).

word count; 4.1K

tagging people who might like; @roleycoleyreccenter @theharddeck @hangmanbrainrot @roosterforme @lt-bradshaw @sebsxphia @mothdruid @laracrofted

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He’d noticed you one day on his morning run. The sun had just barely made its way over the horizon, casting the deserted streets of San Diego in a fiery red hue, as he made his way through a street of cute little houses. Normally, this was not the route he’d choose to take during his morning run, but as he got out of bed that morning, he’d felt an unexpected urge to go about his morning a little differently.

Jake did have an established route for his morning run, and one for his evening wind down, but after he felt an inclination for change, he simply decided to switch his morning and evening route. 

So when he jogged past your house, to see you sat on your porch with a steaming mug in hand, a cat perched on your lap as the morning sun made your skin glow - his step might’ve faltered and his jaw might have slackened. That day he almost came to a complete halt in front of your house, slowing so considerably it might be considered a brisk walk. You’d noticed him, of course, it was so early it was only the two of you out.

He’d decided to forego his shirt that day, running only in his shorts and his backwards cap to keep the longer strands of his fringe out of his face. Your soft smile before you shyly averted your gaze had his heart clenching in his chest, and it felt like you might as well have flung him into a 6G pull with the way the air seemed to leave his lungs at an alarming rate. 

Jake had kept running that day though, which some might consider unusual for him. He had no qualms with going up to any woman or man to chat them up, it wasn’t really in his DNA to deny himself anything beautiful. With you, however, he felt like it would be disrespectful to chat you up like he did at the ‘Deck, with the sole purpose of taking you home for the night. No, Jake would like to treat you with more respect than that. Would simply like more with you. Which is how he found himself having switched his routes to see if sitting on your porch in the morning sun was a daily occurrence for you. 

To his great delight, it was. And after a few weeks of making conversation with you as he ran by; learning your white, fluffy cat’s name was Empress Snowcone Kittlesworth - going by Snow when she wasn’t on royal duty (you assured him that the shelter had named her). Jake always made a point of offering Empress Snowcone Kittlesworth his most sincere salute when he saw her, only because he loved the way it made you giggle and beam at him, and of course because he was obligated to treat sovereigns with the utmost respect. Cats included. 

After those weeks, you’d found yourself falling hard for Jake’s easy-going charm and sweetness. He’d taken you out on dates, and always made a point to open doors for you, keeping his hand respectably at your back, and for some reason always walking on the side closest to the road - always switching if you were to walk curbside. It was easy falling in love with Jake. 

You’d never in your life experienced being treated with such care before. People opening doors for you had seemed foreign at first, and you had felt almost embarrassed the first time he did it - assuring him he didn’t have to do that. “Darlin’, I know I don’t have to do anything - I only do what I want to do,” Jake had said as he’d offered you that damn charming wink and smirk of his. 

Dating Jake Seresin was nothing short of a whirlwind. The man had energy for the whole fleet, and his very extroverted persona of Hangman could make you grin for days. Though you had to admit you loved Jake’s softer side too, the one that let his hands linger near you at all times. It had been almost six months since your first date, and closer to seven since you first saw him that beautiful morning. For those six blissful months, Jake had had the privilege to have close to office hours at his post at Top Gun, along with some of his friends and co-workers from his squad. 

Today, however, Jake had been gone for thirteen days and 20 hours - closing in on that dreaded fourteenth day. Jake had told you it was a shorter stint, more of an educational trip to another naval base to share some of their newfound skills. He’d been chosen to go out of the squad, and you were so proud of him. Still, it didn’t do much to alleviate the worry you felt for him, even if he had assured you there would be no actual mission on this trip. You knew that things could go wrong even without the interference of enemies. 

Jake and you hadn’t moved in together yet (something you regretted somewhat, seeing as he’d be coming home to his own place after his trip instead of yours), wanting to take things slow. But as time went on you found that the urge to wake up to him by your side grew with each passing moment. These two weeks of not seeing him, hearing him and feeling him had left you in somewhat of an unexpected funk. 

It surprised you, because you would describe yourself as quite an independent person - not too upset about spending time with yourself, almost teetering on a little introverted. Certainly, you hadn’t ever thought you’d feel the need to always have someone’s touch upon your skin. Now however, you’d found yourself crying on three different occasions at the way your heart yearned to feel Jake’s hands skim your body over the past fourteen days. You even missed when he’d absentmindedly have his hand on your hip as he talked to someone else, his thumb rubbing soothingly at the skin just above your jeans, something you hadn’t given much thought to until you found yourself feeling a little off without it. 

Glancing at the clock situated over the entrance to your kitchen, you knew that Jake must have just reached San Diego by now. It was late, and you knew Jake must think you were asleep, and you knew he was likely exhausted as well. Heaving a great sigh, you knew you’d have to wait until tomorrow to see him. 

Before he had been sent away there had been talk of a bonfire night with the squad, and they had settled on tomorrow’s date. They’d scheduled it in advance so that everyone could attend, and so that none of them were sent out somewhere else. Jake had been looking forward to it for ages, and he’d rambled about how happy he would be to introduce you to all of his friends and co-workers that you had yet to meet because of their deployment. 

To your great distress though, tomorrow was Friday - which meant having to sit through an entire day of work before you could finally see Jake. Blinking blearily, you noticed your phone buzzing with a message.

Jakey 🤠💛: hey darlin’, just got home! absolutely exhausted, but missing you something fierce. can I pick you up after work tomorrow? spend some alone time with my best girl before the bonfire? hope you’re sleepin tight baby ❤️

Knowing how Jake could get, you smiled as your heart warmed in your chest, before deciding to sleep and answer his text when you awoke in the morning. You didn’t want him worrying his mind with why you were still up at this ungodly hour.

As it turned out, you wouldn’t be able to meet Jake before the bonfire. Your day at work started out pretty regularly, the clients that were scheduled for appointments with you showing up in a timely fashion and seemingly making good progress. Your last of the day though, that’s where it all got a bit rambunctious. During a small break, you had managed to text Jake that you would be needed at the office a bit longer - and he texted back that he’d been held back too. 

Ultimately, the two of you decided to meet up on the beach, which almost made tears well in your eyes. You wanted nothing more than to meet Jake in private, be able to be a bit clingy and snuggly with him before you had to socialize with everyone else. You wanted him close in a way you didn’t feel comfortable having other people witness. With a sad sigh you returned to work, anxiously bouncing your knee as you tried to finish up as soon as you could. 

In the end, you managed to get away from work. But you realized pretty soon you’d be late to the bonfire, and a disappointed little whine left you as you knew Jake would already be mingling with his friends, not even leaving you the opportunity to snuggle up in his arms for a few minutes in the parking lot before facing the group.

Having quickly changed into a flowery sundress, you slowly approached the group on the beach, the sun setting beautifully - turning the sky a lovely color of faded orange and pink. Scanning the group, you could see the tall forms of Rooster and Payback laughing together, Phoenix trying on Bob’s glasses, and Harvard and Yale throwing a football between one another. 

Fiddling with your fingers that had interlaced in front of your dress, you nervously stood on your toes to try to catch your golden hued boyfriend in the mass of aviators. 

“My hard workin’ girl!” you heard him before you saw him, but when you did see him, your breath caught in your throat. His hair had started falling out of its carefully styled look, some loose strands hanging in front of his gorgeous sea glass eyes, his beaming smile seemingly brighter than the setting sun.

“Jake!” you breathed out in relief as he finally stood before you, squealing as he swiftly wrapped his strong arms around your thighs, lifting and spinning  you as  you held on to his shoulder laughing. 

“Missed you, baby,” he grinned, pecking your lips before setting you down and grabbing your hand “Let’s go before Javy eats all the food,” you giggled as he led you closer to the fire, his friends closing in on him - drawn to him like moths to his bright smile and sunny energy.

Soon enough, Phoenix had pulled you into conversation, Halo laughing beside you as you told them of a funny thing a client at work had said during the day. Hangman was out, flitting between friend groups faster than you could keep track of. That was the downside of a large party, you thought somberly. So many people that Hangman knew and loved all in one place for one night, and you couldn’t blame him for wanting to spend as much time as possible with people he hadn’t seen in so long. It didn’t help that awful sinking feeling in your stomach though, or the burning longing in your chest.

“He’s always like this, unfortunately,” Phoenix comforted you softly as Halo moved to grab some beers from the cooler a bit away. “loves being the life of the party,” she offered you a small lopsided smile, patting your shoulder. Looking down, you nodded “Yeah, I mean of course,” you replied, biting your bottom lip as you glanced over to see Javy goading Jake into doing some form of back flip in the sand. 

“I’ve just missed him a lot,” you confessed, scrunching your nose at how pathetic you sounded. You were sure Nat thought you were a bit of a wimp, maybe not cut out for dating Hangman. To your surprise, she pulled you into a sideways hug, a warm smile on her face. 

“I get it, hun. He’s just a little oblivious and high on attention right now. Just go nudge him a little, he’ll be good,” Phoenix squeezed your side again and you chuckled softly, thankful for the woman you now considered a friend. 

“I don’t want to be the clingy girlfriend though…” you confessed your fears in so low of a voice you’re not even sure Phoenix would catch it, but she did, and she let out a loud laugh “Honey! Do you think Hangman would not like to have  your attention every second of the day? Please! He wouldn’t think you were clingy. You’ve given him like three hours to monkey about doing stupid testosterone driven tomfoolery,” she winked at you, leaving your side to join Halo by the cooler.

Looking out onto the now dark ocean, hearing the soothing swish of the waves gently caressing the beach, you took in a deep breath. Perhaps it was the way the moonlight was hitting the water, but it almost looked like the ocean was glittering gently as it moved. As the waves moved slowly in their ebb and flow, so did you - languidly making your way over to where your boyfriends loud laughter rang out.

He had put on a long sleeved, cream white henley as the darkness had fallen, and you couldn’t help the stars that shone in your eyes as you took in the way his soft hair flopped in front of his eyes as he looked down - corners of his eyes slightly crinkled as his laughter turned into soft chuckles. 

Moving to his side, you could tell that he was as Phoenix had told you, a bit high on the attention and general extroverted buzz the friends had given him. He was engrossed in a tale that Javy was telling, arms and hands emphasizing his point as Fanboy snickered by his side - Jake nodding along. A woman stood by Javy’s side, smiling and shaking her head - you figured that must be Javy’s wife, she looked very sweet as she smiled at you too. 

A soft breeze had goosebumps slowly settling on your skin, and you protectively wrapped your arms around your mid, positively yearning for Jake’s warm embrace. He didn’t seem to notice the way you were silently begging for him though, engrossed in his friends and the buzz of activity.

Licking your lips, you slowly looked around, making sure no one was watching you. Javy had turned to Mickey to respond to a comment the latter had made, and you took this as your chance.

Ever so hesitantly, your fingers wrapped themselves around the soft cotton of Jake’s sleeve, tugging so lightly you weren’t sure he’d notice. But as soon as you had tugged twice, Jake snapped his gaze to you so fast you were concerned he’d get a whiplash.

“Honey,” he almost sounded surprised, breathless, his green eyes swirling with emotion as his brows knitted together - as if the spell of fooling around with his friends had abruptly been severed. “Hi baby, I’m sorry I left you. Have you been having an awful time?” he sounded so concerned, his voice laced with regret as he gently kissed your forehead. 

“Don’t worry Jake, I’ve been hanging with Nix and Halo,” you smiled softly “I just missed you,” you confessed in a small voice, leaning slightly against his side, not wanting to seem too overbearing yet craving his touch all over you. Jake smiled so fondly down at you that it took your breath away, and it seemed as if his chest was puffed up just a bit prouder at your words.

Jake only felt warmth swirling within him as he finally looked at you. He felt a little ashamed at how he’d asked you to come, yet hadn’t made the proper time to make you feel like he’d missed you as much as he had when he was gone. Now, when he saw your sweet hesitant smile and shy look in your eyes, he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why on earth he was listening to some stupid story Javy was telling him. 

“D’you wanna go for a walk with me babe? Even if I’ve been a horrible boyfriend all evening,” Jake pleaded, his gaze lingering on yours for a moment. “Jake, you could never be a horrible boyfriend!” you defended “but I would love a walk,” the last bit was spoken a bit shyly, and Jake’s face lit up at your answer, swiftly lacing his fingers with your as he led you down the beach by the water. 

As the two of you walked, you talked in hushed tones of the weeks you had been separated, and that overwhelming feeling of need was starting to overwhelm you again as you listened to Jake’s soft tone, laced with his endearing accent. You were out of sight of all of your friends now, so with a small whine, you grabbed onto his forearm with both hands, tugging him to a stop. 

“Jake,” you whined softly, pulling him closer to you. His brows furrowed, letting his palm cup your cheek slightly as he looked into your eyes. “What is it sweetheart?” he sounded concerned. 

“I’ve missed you,” you pouted, tugging at his other arm again. He chuckled softly, his thumb stroking against your cheekbone “I’ve missed you more, baby,” he smiled. He didn’t understand. You whined softly again, not wanting to spell it out that you were a little baby who needed to feel his arms around you at all times.

His intense gaze made you shift your feet, averting your eyes to look down at the sand beneath you. 

“Babe… tell me what you need,” his voice was soft but definitely commanding, his fingers gripping your chin and slowly tilting it upwards so he could look you in the eyes. His green irises were stormy, and an expression you had yet to see on him was present on his features. It made you gasp, a slow burning ache settling between your thighs as he stepped ever closer to you. 

“Need you to touch me…” you whispered, tears rimming your eyes. “Sweetheart…” Jake sounded regretful “Why didn’t you tell me?” finally his arms wrapped around you, and you let out a sigh of relief, your whole body relaxing into his broad chest, nuzzling your face into his pecs. 

“Did I tell you you look beautiful today?” Jake murmured against your hair, his palm running up and down your spine as you shook your head against his sternum. He chuckled low, before you felt him shake his head against your hair.

“Silly me. You look out of this world beautiful today, honey,” his sentence was punctuated with a soft kiss to your hair. You smiled against his shirt, wrapping your arms tighter around his waist in an effort to get even closer to him. 

“Still need me to touch you?” Jake’s voice had a teasing lilt to it, and you removed your face from it’s spot against his chest to take in his facial expression. Biting your lip, you could only nod bashfully at the look on his face. “What do you say to losing some clothing then huh, sweetheart?” raising a brow, you tilted your head slightly, inviting his lips to descend upon yours for the first time that night. 

Kissing Jake always had you slightly dizzy. Jake kissed with purpose, slow, sensual, and just as good as he was at everything else. He had your jaw cradled in his hand, tongue slowly meeting yours as you so easily yielded to him. 

“Now what did you say about less clothing?” you murmured into the kiss, and Jake broke away to reply, only to chase your lips for a quick succession of pecks, until he looked out over the ocean. “Care for a swim?” he smiled at you. 

You barely had time to nod before Jake was removing his henley, revealing chiseled abs and a broad chest dusted with hair. Standing frozen, you could only stare as he continued removing his clothing. How was this man real? And how was he yours to look at? Blinking slowly, you took in your boyfriend's smug smile as he approached you.

“Up,” his words were soft, his large warm palms skimming your sides before guiding your arms into the air, hands firmly guiding them and holding them in place. Keeping your hands stretched towards the starry skies, you watched as Jake sank to his knees before you, hands caressing at your thighs, his mouth following his lingering touches, lips kissing the ever more exposed flesh of your thighs. 

Moving to stand, his arms had now gathered the fabric of your skirts onto them, and he gave your lips another loving kiss before he guided the dress over your head and onto the sand among his own clothing. Jake groaned softly at the sight of you, his hands immediately finding their home on your skin. You sighed in pleasure as he gently caressed your bare breasts, his warm skin soothing the chill of the night. 

His mouth trailed soft kisses from your neck to your collarbones, and from your collarbones to the soft flesh of your breasts. His warm tongue laved over your hard nipples, and he took one of them into his mouth to warm, letting his lips latch around the flesh to suck lightly, teeth gracing over the sensitive bud. Soft moans spilled from parted lips into the night, and Jake figured it might be the loveliest sound he’s ever heard as it mingled with the soft sounds of the waves. 

Once again, Jake bent slightly, his fingers hooking themselves into your underwear, sliding them down your legs, removing your shoes from your feet last. Strong hands skimmed your calves, up to your thighs, where his fingers tapped gently, urging you to hop up. 

As you did so, Jake caught you in his arms, tenderly helping you wrap your legs around his midsection as he walked you out into the water. Resting your hands around his neck, you softly tugged at his short hair, reveling in the way his eyes never left yours - the love radiating from them making yours slightly misty.  

Wading deeper, you let out a surprised gasp as the water hit your skin, and the two of you smiled as Jake submerged you further into the water. It was when he moved fast that you noticed the glittering again. 

“Jake!” you gasped, slowly dragging your hand back and forth in the water, spellbound by the sight of the bioluminescence that followed your hand “It’s beautiful” you sighed, before looking back at his handsome face. 

“It really is,” he murmured, soft green eyes looking at you. Leaning down, you let your lips softly meet his again, hands roaming over his now wet skin. “I missed waking up next to you,” you confessed in between kisses “so did I,” Jake retorted honestly. 

Again, Jake let his lips and tongue move languidly against your skin, drawing moans and sighs from your lips as he sucked and nipped at spots he knew were sensitive. “Jake” you whined softly as his hand reached up to cup and knead your breast. “Yeah, baby?” his voice was raspy, filled with lust.

“I need you!” the whimper fell softly out into the night, your head having tilted back slightly to give your lover more space to love on your skin. “Mhm, I need you too, honey.” Jake hummed, positioning you so that you could feel his hard cock against your inner thigh.

Sighing onto Jake’s lips, he slowly lowered you onto his aching cock, the swirl of the water making it a bit harder than it usually was. As you felt him fully seated in you, you let out a relieved breath, letting your forehead rest against his shoulder as he lazily lifted you so his cock slid against your walls - rocking slowly and deeply. 

“I love you,” Jake’s words were soft and low, but they seemed to echo loudly against the dark night sky and the glittering ocean, illuminated by stars and the moon. He was still moving in you, and a soft groan left him before he repeated himself “Fuck, I love you,” his voice was strained with emotion, his jaw clenching slightly. 

“I love you, Jake,” you whispered, having left your perch on his shoulder, rocking down onto him and looking at the way the moon beautifully illuminated his face, and the waters glittering between you as you moved. 

“Move in with me,” Jake whispered “I’ll touch you day and night, for as long as you want me to,” he moaned, and you could tell his promise was as much to himself as it was to you. 

“I’d love nothing more,” you sighed, relishing in the thought of waking up next to Jake every morning, for the rest of your life.

[topguncortez]

Opposites Attract- J. Seresin

pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x female!reader word count: 3.7k warnings: mentions of sex, mentions of child birth, top gun things synopsis: how can Hangman, cocky, arrogant Hangman fall in love with a girl who is so different than him and raise a family completely opposite of him. based on these requests:

He must’ve gotten it from his mother. She was a shy person. Usually choosing situations where she didn’t need to talk to anyone new, where she could just smile and nod and look to her husband to do all the talking. His fellow pilots were confused by them: how could loud, obnoxious, bragging, douchebag Lt Jake “Hangman” Seresin, find someone as sweet and quiet as Y/N. It was one of life’s great mysteries. Her very first interaction with the group of Top Gun aviators had them all puzzled on how Hangman had secured her as his wife and hid her from them all.

“Who’s the babe at the bar?” Payback said, eyeing her from across the pool table. Hangman looked at his line of sight and smirked. 

Sauntering over to where one of the pool balls was at, he leaned over, “That” he said, lining up his shot, “Is my wife.” He rammed the cue stick into Payback's gut making him double over in pain. 

“Her? The quiet little thing over there?” Phoenix said, looking at her. Y/N waited patiently for Penny to get around to her, not yelling and trying to catch her attention like the other patrons at the bar, “What did you do? Hypnosis? Stockholm Syndrome?” 

“Why is it so shocking that I'd be married to her?” 

“Cause you’re nothing alike! She’s nice and you’re an ass. She’s pretty and you’re an ass. She’s quiet and you’re-“ 

“An ass?” 

“Precisely,” Phoenix said as Hangman’s wife made her way back over to him. She walked directly to him, her head down not making eye contact with the other pilots. Hangman put his arm around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss, making her cheeks go red. 

“Penny is busy, i’ll go back up-“ 

“I got it, love,” Hangman said, kissing her again. 

“You sure? Cause I can-“ 

“It’s all good,” Hangman smiled at her. She nodded as he stepped past her, but not before giving her ass a light smack. She all but squealed at his action, turning even redder if that was possible. She turned her head slowly, looking at the eyes of his fellow aviators who were all looking at her. She gave them a shy smile, before turning her head and moving out of the way, and back towards Hangman. 

“There’s no fucking way,” Phoenix muttered. 

Everyone was enthralled with watching Hangman and his wife interact the whole night. It was a completely different side to him than any of his classmates had ever seen. His smile wasn’t a cocky arrogant one, it was bright and full of love as he twirled her around the makeshift dance floor in the Hard Deck. She giggled as he pressed kisses to her neck, singing the words of a song back to her. 

“How did we not know about this?” Rooster said, looking at his enemy. 

“This had to have happened recently,” Coyote said, taking a sip of his beer, “The whole aviator world woulda been talking about it.” 

“Or he never told anyone until now,” Bob said with a shrug causing them all to look at him, “What?” 

“It’s Hangman. He brags about everything. We would’ve known,” Phoenix said. 

“Never know,” Bob said again. 

But Bob was right, as much as Hangman wanted to show her off, and brag about her, he knew that she wouldn’t want that. She was quiet, and kept to herself and that’s what drew him to her. She was the shy girl at the bar in San Diego, his very first duty station, and Hangman knew the second he saw her, she was going to be his. She played hard to get at first, partially because she didn’t really trust him. She had heard the things the other girls around base had said about him. That he was just another pilot with a good smile, only there for a couple weeks before jetting off to the next place. He had a lot to prove, and he would be damned if he left without you by his side. 

So he worked his charm over the three weeks he was there. He managed to break down her walls completely, wooing her the old fashioned way. Hangman proved the chivalry wasn’t dead, as he opened doors for her, always greeted her with a kiss on her hand, bringing her flowers for every date and at random times during the day, texting or calling her goodnight, walking her to the door after dates or waiting in his car to make sure she got all the way in the house and turned her bedroom lamp on to let him know she was safe. 

When those three weeks came to an end, their goodbye was tearful and painful. Y/N stood in the airplane hangar with the rest of the aviator and naval wives, husbands, partners, kids, families, and hugged Hangman (or Jake as he had become to her) as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. He pulled away from the hug, holding her face in his hands and wiping the tears away. 

“Don’t forget about me when you find yourself surrounded by beautiful women overseas.” She said, sniffling. 

“Sweetheart, it would take a whole army and then some to make me forget about you,” Jake said, which made her blush. Any sort of pet name he called her had a red hue climbing up the back of her neck, “Just don’t forget about me.” 

“I could never, would never!” She smiled. Jake looked at her, her soft eyes looking into his. And for some reason, some spell was cast and Jake didn’t hesitate but to lean in and kiss her for the first time. 

That kiss had sealed the deal for both of them. The second Jake had landed back stateside, he went running to her house, finding her out in her garden, dirt and sweat on her face. Jake ran right to her, not having a care in the world, wrapping her in his arms and kissing her. 

“Marry me.” 

“What?” She said, looking at him like he had grown a second head, “Did you hit your head? Is this from the lack of oxygen? I know what they say about that, what is it, g. . . g-loc? Yeah, g-” 

“No, my brain is working just fine, sweetheart,” Jake smiled, “I mean it, marry me.” 

“This isn’t world war two, you aren’t going to-” 

“Y/N.” He cut off your rambling once again, seeing that glint in your eye was enough to get his answer. 

“Yes!” 

It was like a fairy tale come true for the both of them. They didn’t even tell their families when they ran off to city hall, getting married in a whirlwind, partially due to the fact that Jake had been selected for the Top Gun program. He had shared the news with her that morning, and he could hardly register when she told them “well we better go get married then.” And they did exactly that. Jake threw on his khaki uniform, and she dug out a white sundress that had been buried in the back of her closet. Once the papers were signed, Jake drove up the coast, finding a small hideaway he had discovered one night while driving around. 

That night she had given herself to him fully. She had never been touched the way Jake touched her, and he loved it. He was gentle with her, which was unusual for him. He took his time, letting her know every single thing he loved about her. The way her back arched when he kissed a certain spot, the way his name fell like a prayer from her lips, the way she dug her nails into his shoulders, the way she looked like a complete goddess in the backseat of his 1974 monte carlo. Jake held her tightly as her chest heaved up and down, coming down from the bliss. They didn’t mean for it to happen, but they fell asleep in the back of the small car, waking up to the sounds of seagulls above them. 

It was less than a year after they were married that Y/N found out she was pregnant. She was alone, sitting on the bathtub ledge, her head in her hands as she cried. Hangman was out on a mission, something short, and he promised to be home soon. But it didn’t make things any better. She was terrified. They had moved to the middle of nowhere, Lemoore California. The tiny naval base was nice and quiet, but far from the only family Y/N had in the whole state. She was used to being on her own, and being independent. Growing up shy, she had to learn to do things for herself. But raising a whole other human on her own was going to be hard. 

The second Jake came through the door, she told him. He stood there frozen in the doorway, duffle back still in his hand as his brain tried to process what she had just said. It scared her even more seeing his face go blank, but the second his duffle bag hit the floor with a loud bang and he was pulling her into his arms again, she felt relaxed. The two of them had spent all night getting reacquainted with each other, and then laying in bed naked, feeling each other’s bare bodies as they talked about their future child. Jake had promised to do the best he could to be there for every single appointment. 

The day that Alexander Miles Seresin was born, was the second happiest day of Jake’s life. Y/N had handled the past nine months like champ, and Jake had fallen in love with her more and more every day. Seeing her glowing and growing the child had set something off inside of him, something primal. The sex they had while she was pregnant was some of the best sex he had ever had. He could hardly keep his hands off of her. When her water broke, he went into a near panic, forgetting every single thing they had ever talked about. Jake, the cool, calm and collected naval fighter pilot, who had shot down a plane, felt like he was going to pass out watching Y/N deliver their child. He hated seeing her in pain, but the second their son was placed on his chest, he felt nothing but pure love. 

From the day Alex was born, he looked just like his father. Blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, naturally sunkissed skin. Jake loved every minute he got to spend at home with his wife and son. It made it harder to have to go on missions. He had missed birthdays, christmases, and big milestones. Y/N did a good job at recording everything and sending it to him so he could watch them out in the middle of the ocean. Y/N would call Jake almost every night, letting him read a bedtime story to Alex, watching over facetime as the little boy would stare intently at her phone screen at his dad. 

“Where dada?” Alex asked one night, his voice thick with sleep. 

“I’m on the ship, buddy,” Hangman said, his voice sounding faraway and sad. 

“The big ship?” Alex asked, his eyes growing wide with excitement. One of Alex’s favorite things was planes, which was a no brainer considering who his dad was. 

“The big ship,” Hangman smiled, “I promise I’ll be home when you wake up.” 

“Okay dada,” Alex said, and curled into his mother. Y/N patted his back and said goodnight to her husband before tucking her son in, “Dada flies planes?” 

“He does buddy,” Y/N said, making sure he was secure in his bed. 

“I fly planes too.” Alex said, clutching onto his stuffed F/A-18 that Hangman had gotten him. 

Alex had just turned three when Hangman got the call that he was needed back at Top Gun. Y/N looked at him, and all but ran to start packing. She had missed San Diego and was looking for any reason to go back and visit. But hearing that Jake would be going back to Top Gun made her nervous. She had all sorts of questions, which he couldn’t answer simply because he didn’t know. What he did know was that he was allowed to bring his family, which was his main concern. So, he packed the three of you up, packing his ford explorer (which he got after much grumbling from Y/N when she got pregnant with Alex) and drove his family the eight hours to San Diego. 

— — — 

The following week, after getting reunited with everyone at the Hard Deck, Jake had come home from training almost every day upset. He would sigh, and flop down on the shitty couch, and watch Alex play with his toy planes in front of him. The training was hard enough as it was but with his counterparts constantly teasing him about his wife that was the total opposite of him, he had had enough. The second Fanboy had seen the polaroid of Y/N tapped to Jake's dash in his plane, the teasing commenced. 

“Why don’t we invite everyone over?” Y/N asked one day softly, as she wiped her hands on her apron, “I would like to meet your friends.” 

“You would?” Jake said, turning to look at you, “But you met them the other night?” 

“More like they just stared at me like I’m some mythical creature,” She giggled. Jake stood up from the couch, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her. 

“You are a goddess and they couldn’t take their eyes off of how perfect you are,” Jake said to her, making her blush and hide her face. He gently grabbed her chin, making her head turn back to him, “Don’t hide that smile from me, gorgeous.” Jake flashed her his perfect, beautiful white smile and then leaned down to kiss her cheek. 

“Daddy!” Alex called. 

“Yes, my man?” Jake said, and picked him up, groaning loudly as he did so. Alex let out a bunch of giggles as Jake held him upside down in his arms, “What did you do today?” 

“Went to the ship!” Alex exclaimed and Jake looked at her confused. 

“We went to the Midway museum.” 

“Babe, if you want to see some real ships and planes, just come in tomorrow.” Jake said, causing her to shrug, “You won’t get in trouble.” 

“Let’s start with dinner first, and then consider sneaking me on to base.” She said, walking back into the kitchen to finish cooking. 

By the time the weekend rolled around, Y/N was a nervous wreck. Everything had to be perfect, this was very important after all. She was meeting Jake’s friends, his coworkers, the best Naval fighter pilots in the US Navy. She woke up around six in the morning to start preparing and cleaning their small rental house. She had vacuumed, scrubbed the floors, and washed the windows, restocked the fridge, bought enough food to feed an army (literally), and hopefully enough beer (though she had seen the way these sailors think and was questioning if she should make another beer run). 

Jake had tried to help Y/N during the day, but she pushed him away, telling him she would let him know when he was needed. Around five in the evening, she had finally asked him to do something, while he was up off the couch running to her beck and call. He had fired up the grill, and started getting things ready to grill as she was getting dressed in a floral sundress. Alex was in navy blue shorts, a white button up and his birks. 

“Do we look okay?” She asked Jake, stepping out into the backyard. She held Alex’s hand and Jake smiled at them. He was wearing almost the same thing as Alex, except he had on a pair of white vans instead. 

“You both look great,” Jake said walking over to you. He picked Alex up, setting him on his hip, “You need to stop stressing.” 

“I want things to be perfect. These are your coworkers and your boss and-” 

“Everything is perfect, they already love you and they just stared at you from afar the other night,” Jake said, taking her hand in his free one, “You are easy to love, which is why I fell for you so fast.” 

“Stop it,” She blushed, and looked down at her feet. The doorbell rang, making her snap her head up. Jake saw the look in her eye, the anxiety of having to meet and talk to strangers. Jake kissed her cheek and set Alex down. 

“I got it, watch the burgers for me, please,” Jake said, and she nodded, as he ran to the front door. 

“Damn Hangman, took you long enough,” Phoenix said as he opened the door, “So how did you get the good shit off base while we are stuck breathing in the scent of black mold?” 

Jake just smirked, letting in Phoenix, Bob, and Coyote, “Sometimes, you gotta know people.” 

Y/N peeked her head to look inside the house to see who was here, when she felt a tug on her dress. She looked down to see her little boy with the same blue eyes as her lover. He too was full of anxiety about having to meet new people, and it was obvious in the way he held on to her leg and tried to hide behind her. Y/N felt her heart break and knelt down to his level. 

“Are you ready to meet some new people?” Y/N asked her son. 

“Are they nice?” Alex whispered. 

Y/N smiled, “The nicest, come on.” Y/N took her son’s hand and walked into the house, which was already full of loud aviators, cracking open beers and having a laugh. But all eyes seemed to fall on her the second she walked through the sliding glass door, the little boy’s hand in hers squeezed her tighter, “Hi.” 

“Hi,” Jake said, and then walked over to them. He picked up Alex, and side by side, they looked like twins, “This is my wife, Y/N, which you guys already know from the other night,” Y/N waved at the group of aviators, who waved back, but their eyes were on the little boy who was burying his head into his father’s neck, “And this is Alex, my son.” 

“You have a kid?” Rooster asked, completely shocked by the news, “Since when?” 

“Since about four years ago, keep up Rooster, shut your jaw you’ll catch flies,” Jake said and Rooster rolled his eyes. 

“Why didn’t you tell any of us this? She must’ve had him when-” 

“When you two were both stationed in Korea,” Y/N said, cutting Phoenix off, “You’re Phoenix, right?” 

“Yeah. . . Hangman, have you told her all about us?” Phoenix said with a smile, “You let me drown in the testosterone fest in Lemoore and didn’t tell me I could’ve had another female to hang out with!” 

She felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders once the initial introduction of the family was over. Everyone fell into natural conversation. The boys gathered around the grill, as Y/N, Phoenix and Halo sat at the table in the backyard. Jake couldn’t get over how beautiful his wife looked in the setting summer sun. The gentle golden hour glow made her look like a goddess, her tan skin literally looked like there were gold flakes in it, her hair looked shiny. He paused for a second as he watched her laugh at something Phoenix said, he noticed her hand, the hand her wedding ring sat on, resting on her stomach. 

“Is she-” Jake asked himself. 

“Yo! You're gonna burn this shit!” Payback yelled, snapping Jake out of his trance. Jake shook his head and turned back to the grill, making note to ask her a question later. 

It brought joy to Y/N’s heart seeing her little shy boy grow comfortable around the group of aviators. He slowly warmed up to them, still clinging to Jake as he cooked the hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill for the group. But the second Bob had rambled off some facts about the toy F-22 raptor in the little boy’s hand, he had made a new best friend. 

Y/N couldn’t help but giggle as Bob and Payback chased Alex around the backyard with toy fighter jets in their hands. Rooster and Hangman seemed to put whatever beef they had aside and were civil to one another. Rooster had easily made friends with the little boy, making him giggle as he walked around the backyard with Alex on his shoulders so his plane could have a proper lift off and landing. 

“It must be hard when he is gone,” Phoenix said, as she helped you clean up from dinner. The guys were now sitting in the backyard by the fire pit, breaking into the bottle of scotch Rooster had once been gifted from Maverick. Alex was fast asleep on Jake’s chest as he rocked him slowly in one of the outdoor rocking chairs. 

“It was when Alex was first born and he had to jet off to Korea. Those six months were hell, it felt like Jake had missed everything,” Y/N said, drying a plate. She paused a second after putting it away, choosing her next words very carefully. She placed a hand on her stomach, taking a deep breath. The small action didn’t go unnoticed by the female aviator, “He won’t tell me about it,” She looked over at Phoenix, who froze, “It means one of two things, he’s not really doing anything, just sitting in classes and it’s boring, or. . . there’s a chance we could lose him.” 

Phoenix sighed and hung her head, looking down at her shoes. She thought to herself a second, closing her eyes. She turned around and leaned against the counter, facing Y/N. Phoenix didn’t have to say anything, Y/N could tell that it was the later option of her statement. Y/N felt tears in her eyes as she looked back into the backyard, seeing Jake’s bright smile as he laughed at some story Fanboy had told. Alex hadn’t even moved an inch, but cuddled deeper into Jake’s chest. Jake bent his head down and placed a kiss on the top of the boy's blonde head of hair.  

Y/N bit her lip and looked at Phoenix, “Make sure he comes home.” 

“I will,” She said to Y/N.

 “Make sure you all, come home,”

--- --- ---

inbox/requests are open! also lmk if you want to be added to my taglist:)

[ddejavvu]

Pizza Box Puzzle Pieces - Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Reader

Summary: Jake is a responsible drinker, he swears. But when you're stuck being responsible for the night, a very drunk Jake gives you all but one piece to a puzzle you don't complete until the morning after.

Contents/Warnings: drinking, fem!reader, typical hangman behavior, enemies to lovers (really more like rivals to lovers)

Requested: A thousand times congratulations on such an amazing milestone! Could I please have an espresso w. enemies to lovers with Jake ‘hangman’ Seresin? ☀️ - @saintlike78 THIS HAS BEEN IN MY DRAFTS SINCE SEPTEMBER I AM SO SORRY MY LOVE i hope you still like hangman &lt;3

WC: 5.3K / navi

feedback is greatly appreciated! comment, reblog, talk in the tags, send me a message, tell me what you think!

Jake Seresin is a responsible drinker. He keeps a rideshare app on his phone, he tells Bob (the permanent sober babysitter) that he needs to be cut off after 10:00 PM, and he gives Penny his keys before he even orders his first drink.

Tonight, though, she'd left them unattended. There they were, shiny and appealing, sitting on the bar. She had left to get a clean dishrag, he could just take them! Driving sounded fun now, less of a chore and more of an adventure now that his brain was blurry.

You watch Jake's eyes widen as he catches sight of his keys, and your hand darts out to snag them before he can. His reflexes are slow, and when he reaches for them, his hand hits empty counter space.

He looks around, bewildered. They'd just disappeared.

"Here, Bagman." You jingle the keys in your hand, and he catches the sound from the few seats down where he's sitting. His eyes drift aimlessly over to your hand, and brighten at the sight of his keys.

"Thanks," He drawls, his southern lilt far more noticeable now that he's running on autopilot, "I'm gonna-" he hiccups hard, his chest bouncing, "Head home."

He stands, wobbly on his feet, and treads forwards to take the keys from you. You raise them above your head, but he doesn't follow, instead slumping forwards as his hand grasps at thin air. His head hits your chest and Coyote catches your eye from over Jake's shoulder. You widen your eyes, flaunting the keys you'd managed to snatch from him.

All the pilot does is laugh, and then his attention is shifted back to the dartboard. Typical.

"Jesus," You grunt, pushing at Jake's chest. He straightens up again, eyes blinking open from where they'd been shut, "What did you drink?"

"I don't remember," He admits, and that's all the explanation you need.

"Come on," You reach for his pocket, his phone sticking out, "Let's call you a ride."

"Nooo," He darts away, almost too late to evade you, "That's my phone."

"Yes Hangman," You smirk, "I think you're smarter drunk than you are sober."

"But that's-" He fumbles with his cell, "You can't touch my phone."

"I want to get you home," You urge, once more reaching for the device in his hands, "Don't you want to go to sleep?"

"You can't have it," He insists, yanking the waistband of his khakis off of his stomach and slipping his phone dangerously close to his crotch, "Unless you-" Another hiccup that flutters his eyelashes, "-wanna take it."

The smirk he shoots you after shoving his phone down his pants contains lethal cockiness. You're surprised the sheer size of his ego doesn't knock you down, you're not sure how you're standing so close to him without running into it.

You glance down at his phone. It's protruding just enough from his waistband for it to be quick and easy to grab. But your hand has never been that close to Jake's dick before, and you're hoping it never will be.

"Fuck," You deflate, shoulders slumping as your fingers curl tighter around his keys, "Come on, I'm driving you."

"Take my car," He insists, as if he's forgotten you have his keys, "It's.. It's really cool."

"Can't wait," You  gripe, slinging his arm around your shoulders, "Come on, one foot in front of the other, Seresin."

The cold night air hits you like a tsunami. It floods your thin shirt and seeps into your bones, sending an involuntary shiver down your spine. You've never known it to get this cold here, and the skin-to-skin that Jake's shoulder provides against your own is your only warmth.

You prop him up against his car while you fumble with the keys, but before you can click the 'unlock' button, he's snatching them from you.

"I wanna- I wanna do it," He insists, gripping the pointed end and bumping it up against the panel on the outside of the keyhole, "It's my car, I wanna.. do it."

You give him a minute to figure out the key. After it passes you yank it from where he's been pathetically butting it up against the hole, still confused about how to slot it inside.

"Gimme," You grumble, sliding the key into the hole with barely a second's delay, "You're too drunk for this."

"I'm not drunk." He scoffs. He says it with so much sincerity, with so much raw belief, that you're surprised that it doesn't come into existence. You're surprised the alcohol doesn't drain from his system completely, and leave him his usual coordinated, upright self. But he's still leaning against his car, half-coherent and dizzy.

"Right." You chuckle, throwing open the driver's side door and unlocking the rest of the car, "Get in, Hangman."

He starts for your seat and you shove him away, "No, not the driver's seat," You groan, "Other side."

He starts for the backseat.

"For fuck's sake," You exclaim, grabbing his bicep to lead him around the car, "The passenger's side!"

You get him wrestled into his seat with no further drunken antics, and you relish the fact that you've gotten him calm for the night. He's anything but when you finally glance up at his face, though, great big tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

"You're mean." He whispers, his voice shaky. You've never seen such a pitiful sight, his big green eyes brimming with anguish that seeps down his cheeks in rivers of tears. "You grabbed me, and-" He waves his bicep at you, "And you manhandled me," He gushes, angst-stricken, "You're mean!"

"I'm sorry," You sigh, playing into his inebriated sorrow, "Are you okay, Hangman?"

He doesn't note the sarcasm in your voice, sniffling pathetically, "No. It hurts."

You offer a quick pat to the affected area, but he shakes his head.

"Kiss." He offers in explanation, 'Kiss it better."

"I am not going to-" You begin, rage evident in your voice. Then you glance back up at his eyes, filled with new tears.

It's a staring contest for a moment, but you break first. You hunch, bracing yourself for the most humiliating thing you've ever had to do when you pucker your lips and press them into his bicep.

It's firm. Fuck, you wish it wasn't, it holds up under your lips and warms them. It's intoxicating, your lips on his skin, so close to his chest. It's exhilarating. You have to get away.

"There." You grouse, practically glaring at him despite the blush at your cheeks as you straighten, "Better?"

"Yes," He whimpers, and it's small, broken, pathetic, "Thank you."

You shut the door without another word, letting him wipe his own tears.

His car is surprisingly nice. Where you'd expect fast food wrappers and condoms, you find an air freshener.

He grabs it excitedly, shoving it into your face as you start down the road, "Darlin' you gotta- gotta smell! It smells like ocean breeze."

It slips over your eyes and you strain to get away from it, "Okay, Hangman, okay! It smells very nice," You gush, giving him the attention he's seeking. He preens proudly as he hooks it around his mirror once more, but he doesn't settle into his seat.

"Those are cool jeans," He prods a finger at your thigh, and even though you know it's drunken rather than lustful, his touch makes you shiver.

"They were five dollars," You humor him, feeling him fiddle carefully with the ripped strands of fraying string showcasing your skin.

"Cheap." He murmurs, concentration far too heavy on rearranging the strings. Half of them have ripped beyond repair from where they were stretched over your thigh, but he seems to be playing with them like they're yarn to a housecat. You have the sudden urge to run a hand through his hair and see if he purrs.

"My house is that way," Jake points blearily through the windshield down a one-way street, "It's the big blue one."

"You live in an apartment," You turn the wheel in the opposite direction, "And it's not blue, and it's not that way."

"Oh so you-" He hiccups, "-know where I live?"

"I do," You nod, keeping your eyes on the road even when his fingers keep pawing at your jeans, "I've been there before. Remember? We had a movie night."

"Oh yeah," He nods, brow furrowed, "Payback spilled his water on my carpet."

"Not water," You snort, remembering the cheap liquor spilled over the shag, "But yeah, he did."

There's a bout of silence that follows your words, shadows ripping through the car as you pass beneath trees. The road is paved unevenly in a few spots, and Jake's car bounces on its tires.

"Woah," He grumbles, head bumping your shoulder after a particularly raucous pothole, "Look! Look they're in a- a heart."

You slow to a stop in front of his apartment and glance down to where his finger is digging into your thigh. The loose strings on your jeans have all been twisted and tied into a heart that overlays the rip, puffy and frayed where it rests against your leg.

"Oh," You let the sincerity of the gesture steal the breath from your lungs, even if it does come out of a drunk man, "That's pretty, Hangman. Thanks."

You unlatch your seatbelt, breaking his trance. The heart, tied at the bottom and woven through other strands at its apexes, stays tightly knotted into your jeans, and you wonder if you'll ever be able to get it out. It's the last of your concerns, though, as Jake fumbles with his own seatbelt.

He finally jabs just right at the button, though it's after a string of mumbled frustrations. You swear you hear something along the lines of "You're pretty." thrown into the mix, but you choose to ignore it so that your hands don't get sweaty. You probably misheard.

It's a wonder that he's able to get himself out of the car. He lands with a crunch of gravel onto the driveway of his apartment, feet planted firmly beneath him. You suppose he might have sobered slightly during the long, quiet drive, and you're just glad you don't have to press him to yourself anymore to keep him upright.

Thankfully, he knows which door is his, but he forgets that you have his keys. You keep a hand stuffed into your pocket, curled around them, while he fumbles in his pocket for them.

“Damn,” He hisses, patting his pockets and coming up empty, “My- my keys are gone. I think someone took them, we have to-”

“I have your keys,” You’re far too smug as you hold them up, the ring hooked over your middle finger, “Remember? That’s why I drove?”

“Oh.” His brows furrow, and the word adorable flashes through your head before you can stop it. As soon as you acknowledge it, though, it’s gone in a puff of smoke.

“I’ll do it.” You carefully shoo his hands away from the door, slipping the key in and turning it. His apartment is neat, you’ll give him that, but you suppose it’s because he doesn’t have time to mess it up. You toe off your shoes in the doorway, leaving them in a heap which he contributes to. His boots are going to muck up your white wedges, but you can’t care about that right now. What’s more important is making sure Hangman doesn’t head straight for his own liquor stash, which of course, he does.

“No,” You rush for the bottle he’s about to grab, “You’re cut off for the night. Remember?”

“No,” His brow furrows, and he stares at your fingers wrapped around his own against the neck of the bottle, “I don’t.”

At least you know he’s being honest. You pry his hand off of the bottle, setting it back on the counter and letting go of his fingers. You expect them to drop but they don’t, they curl around your own and slot your palms together.

You stiffen but he doesn’t seem to notice, his hand still enveloping yours in a gesture that sends heat rushing up from your fingertips and straight to your heart. You glance down first, then up at him, finding a gooey, lovesick smile on his face paired with empty eyes.

“Hi, darlin’.” He gushes, and squeezes your hand.

Fuck.

“Okay, bedtime.” You decide, trying to pry your hand out of his grip. He won’t let you, though, the more you pull the closer he gets. Until he’s pressed to you, his right thigh to your left, chest-to-chest, smiling contently at you. 

If you can’t make him let go, you suppose you can move. So you do, you lead him through the short hallway, and flick the light on in his bedroom. His room is.. less neat. There’s clothes on the floor, and what looks dangerously like an old pizza box sticking out from under the bed. You decide to ignore it for time’s sake, your main goal is to get Jake into bed before he tips over.

He looks close to it now, stumbling towards his nightstand to snatch a necklace off of it. It’s a delicate silver chain, and there’s a pretty heart pendant on it.

“Look,” He shows it off, “‘S my mom’s. She gave it to me before I came down here.”

“That’s very sweet,” You croon, and all of a sudden you want to know more about Mama Seresin, “I think I’d like to see you wear that someday, Hangman.”

“That’d look silly.” He muses, eyes shiny as they rove over the charm, finally putting it down to look back at you, “But if you’d really like it I’ll do it.”

You suppose that if anything comes out of his drunken stupor, it’ll be a hell of a lot of blackmail material. Apparently he’s blabby when drunk, and you’ll definitely ask why he’s not wearing his mom’s necklace tomorrow when you meet for breakfast.

“Okay, Jake, let’s get you changed.” You hum, glancing around his room and peering apprehensively at his dresser. You turn back, intent on asking him which drawers you should avoid opening, and are met with-

“Jake! Put- put your pants back on!”

Your hands fly to your eyes to shield yourself from the sight of Jake Seresin’s Uncovered Crotch, but you forget that he’s still clinging tight to you, and he stumbles along with you. All you can do is let out a strangled cry as his outer thigh presses against yours, praying nothing else will.

“Put your boxers back on,” You beg, “And- and get into pajamas! Oh my god.”

“Yeah,” Jake giggles, far too inebriated to read the room, “That’s what they all say.”

“I hate you,” You groan, and finally, he lets go of your hand.

There’s absolute silence for too long, but just before you can urge him to hurry up and get dressed, he speaks.

“You do?”

HIs voice is unlike you’ve ever heard it. Jake has a particular talent for boasting, and his voice often bleeds confidence, loud and strong and clear. Now it’s small, unsure and weak.

“Get dressed,” You huff, “With pants, please.”

You’re not eager to admit it, but you don’t hate him. Not at all. Sure, he annoys you, but he annoys everyone. He shoves confetti through the slats in your locker so that opening it triggers a snowstorm, he steals food from your plate when his own is nearly full, and he always, always knocks his knuckles against your helmet. But he’s never mean, he’s never insulted you or pushed you or demeaned you. So you can’t find it in yourself to hate him, even if you don’t always like him.

Or maybe you do. Maybe you bite back a smile when you find confetti on the ground, and maybe you bend over with your back to him just in case he likes what he sees. Maybe you steal his food right back, and maybe the best part of your day is when you make it a competition, and he practically crawls over Fanboy to try to nab a piece of your orange chicken. Maybe the rapping of his knuckles on your helmet makes you want to respond by bumping it against his chest, an urge you’ve never dared to act on.

Feigning hatred is much easier, you’ve found, than admitting love.

His voice cuts through your thoughts, still devoid of its usual enthusiasm, “I’m dressed.”

You let your hands fall to your sides with a relieved sigh, and though your vision is somewhat bleary from being covered for so long, you work with it, blinking until you can see his form, already under the covers on his bed and facing away from you.

“Okay,” You hum awkwardly, glancing around the room, “You’re gonna need medicine in the morning. And water, so-”

“Pills are in the bathroom cabinet, there’s a cup on the counter.” He drawls, voice muffled by his pillow.

You bustle off to gather those, and when you reenter his bedroom you find him staring at the wall. It’s a sad expression, an empty one, but you suppose that’s what binge drinking does to a man.

“I’m gonna head out,” You speak to his back, setting the pills and glass down on his nightstand, “Are you.. gonna be okay?”

“Yeah,” He hums, “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” You mumble, more than ready to flee the awkward scene, “Bye, Jake.”

“Do you really hate me?”

You freeze in the doorway, heart thudding in your chest. You turn slow, your eyes meeting Jake’s before your body faces him, giving you enough time to figure out a response.

“No,” You speak carefully, “I- I was just teasing, Jake. I don’t hate you.”

“You’re sure?” He peers up anxiously at you, looking more like a scared child than a naval aviator, “You really don’t?”

“I’m sure,” You nod, gracing him with a soft smile to soothe his nerves, “I don’t hate you, Jake.” “Okay,” He breathes, his frown flattening out into a neutral expression as his eyes drink you in, “Thanks, Y/N. For taking care of me.”

“Anytime,” You promise, and you mean it more than you’ll let on, “Get some rest, Jake, we’re meeting for breakfast at nine tomorrow.”

He nods, and that’s your cue to leave. Your shoes are still by the door, and you slip them on, fiddling with the straps. When you straighten up from where you’d hunched over you spot Jake’s keys where you’d left them on his entryway table, and realize he won’t know where they are in the morning. You don’t want him to panic, so you scoop them up, knowing that his door auto-locks behind him as a part of the apartment’s security features. You’ll be able to leave without the keys, and he won’t be at risk overnight.

You pad quietly back into his room, intent on setting the keys by the glass of water and leaving. But you realize that he’s already asleep, the magic of booze eliciting soft, even breaths from him that ricochet off of the pillow he’s smushed against and blow his hair back. You stifle a giggle at the sight, and pride yourself for how much self control it takes not to record it.

You set the keys down, and your heel catches on the pizza box beneath his bed. Your nose wrinkles, and you decide there’s no good reason for Jake to be keeping old food under his bed, of all places.

You pick it up and it feels nearly empty, prompting confusion on your part. Pizza is not weightless. 

Maybe you should, maybe you shouldn’t, but you decide to flip the lid open. You brace the box on his nightstand and pop the top, your eyes landing on a collection of memorabilia inside, not cheese and bread.

You recognize a chubby baby as Jake himself, a slightly aged photo that looks delicate. You bite back a soft smile, but decide that his baby pictures are none of your business, fingers ghosting over the lid to shut it once more now that you know he’s not hoarding Papa John’s beneath his mattress.

Just before the lid closes, your heart stops. Your eyes catch a picture of just about the last face you’d ever expect to see in a pizza box under Jake Seresin’s bed: your own. It’s a picture of you talking to Payback, eyes shut and crinkled at the corners, mouth open in a laugh you’re sure was less-than-graceful at whatever the other aviator had said. You pick the photo up, pushing away a jewelry box that’s lying on top of its corner, and finding dozens more of your squadron beneath it. There’s one flipped on its front, and Jake’s scrawled sharpie over it, ‘Rooster being dumb. 6-07-2022.’

Upon inspection, the photo is of Bradley making a fool of himself. He’s halfway to the ground, foot caught in the sand as he topples over. You remember that day, you’d all laughed when he’d emerged with a mustache-full of sand.

You flip the photo of yourself, brows furrowing when the description is less-than-understandable.

‘Third time. 5-03-2021.’

Third time.. Third time you’d… laughed at Payback’s jokes? Definitely not, he’s quick on his toes and surprisingly witty.

Thumbing through each photo of you and your friends, the descriptions are all simple. ‘Natasha losing a bet’ showcases her rare defeated look, and of course Jake would have that documented. ‘Fanboy exhaling lemonade’ is self-explanatory, the substance shooting out of his nose in response to the Bradley-Sand-Mustache incident. The only ones you can’t figure out are your own, ‘First time. 4-25-2020’, ‘Second time. 10-10-2020’, and even, ‘Relapse. 9-14-2022;.

For the life of you, you can’t figure them out. You realize that you’ve been sifting through Hangman’s personal possessions far longer than you should have been, stuffing them all back inside the pizza box and sliding it beneath his bed. Something strange and confusing clouds your brain as you make your way to the front door, and you barely remember to listen for the click of the automatic lock when you leave.

Your apartment isn’t far from Jake’s, it’s only a few streets down, and you’d hitched a ride with Omaha to the Hard Deck anyways. You won’t make him pick you up to drive you three blocks.

There’s something infuriating about knowing that Jake writes about you in code. It’s like a mental game, and you’re losing. You ponder it all the way back to your apartment, and you dig your own keys out of your pocket to get yourself inside.

Your determination to figure Jake’s code out only transforms into insomnia, and you fall asleep at nearly three in the morning, alarms set for five hours ahead, wondering if you’ll ever find out what they mean.

--

Surprisingly, for how you’d left him last night, Jake is the first one to show up to Team Breakfast. Your typical spot at the local cafe is inhabited by none other than Hangman, checking his watch to see how late everyone was running so far.

“You’re here early,” You marvel, and his head shoots up to meet your gaze. He grins sheepishly, nodding, “I had too much of a headache to go back to sleep.”

“Oooh,” You laugh, “Tough luck.”

“Yeah. Reckon’ I drank a lot last night?” He asks, already grimacing in expectation of your response. 

You take a particular pleasure in nodding, “You tried kissing Bradley.”

He hadn’t, at least, not on this particular occasion. Rooster has gotten his fair share of Drunk Hangman Love, as have you all, but this time he’d stayed away from anything too intimate.

“Shit,” Hangman grimaces, screwing his eyes up and plunking his chin to his chest, “I thought you said Bob was gonna start watching out for that?”

“He did,” You snort, “He saw it about to happen, and left before you could do it to him. He watched out for himself.”

Jake mumbles something, probably along the lines of ‘typical’, but it’s as he raises his head again, and the glint of something silver at his neck catches your eye. You squint, hard, glimpsing a familiar heart-shaped pendant pressed to his chest and outlined beneath his shirt.

“Oh my god,” You laugh, “The necklace! You’re really wearing it.”

He bites back a smirk and fits his lips to the rim of his water glass instead, “I told you I’d wear it. I’m no chicken.”

“Send a picture to your mom,” You suggest, “Tell her you’ve got her heart with you.”

His smile dims, something apprehensive in his eyes.

“You went through the box under my bed last night, didn’t you?”

You still at the question, your eyes wide, “What?”

“I heard you,” He admits, “I’m- I’m not mad, or anything. I just.. I know you did.”

“I’m sorry,” Even if he’s not upset, you feel awkward, like a kid caught elbow-deep in the cookie jar, “It was none of my business, I shouldn’t have-”

“No,” He shakes his head, reaching back for the clasp on the necklace, “It was your business. Is, if..” He hesitates, face screwed up in concentration.

“Y/N,” He finally continues, necklace now pinched between his fingers, “This isn’t my mom’s.”

“Oh?” You pry cautiously, “Who’s is it, then?”

“Yours.” He admits, and your brows furrow.

“It’s not mine, I’ve never had one like that. I- I guess someone must have left it at your apartment or something, maybe Phoenix?”

“No,” He sighs, eyes screwed shut, “I mean- I mean I bought it for you.”

“You,, you bought that necklace.. for me?”

“Yeah,” He nods, “Did you see the box in there?”

You nod, recalling the teal case.

“I bought it for you for your birthday last year. Chickened out before I could give it to you, though. That’s why I had to give you half a bottle of whiskey.”

His lackluster birthday present made a lot more sense now.

“I know you saw the pictures I’ve got of you,” He continues, keeping his eyes on the pendant of the necklace that he’s pressing against his thumb, “I just thought.. I’d get everything off my chest.”

“First time..” You recall, and he raises his eyes to you questioningly.

“The pictures of me,” You prompt him, “On the back, you had little.. notes? Captions? Whatever, they said first time, second time, third time, relapse. What did those mean?”

He stares at you, the prolonged eye contact making you squirm.

“You sure you don’t hate me?” He asks, just as timid as he had the night before.

“Jake- of course I don’t hate you!” You promise, “Just- tell me, please?”

“They’re every time I fell in love with you.” He murmurs, and your entire world stops spinning. You’ve built it carefully on a foundation of Jake-directed sarcasm and a healthy distance away from your fellow aviator, and when the word ‘love’ slips from his lips the foundation crumbles. You feel everything collapse, every witty comeback, every dramatic eye-roll, every logical pushback. Nothing remains, except love. The word, the feeling, the sound of it coming from his mouth. 

Apparently the demolition of your entire world takes too much time. Jake cringes, tucking the necklace into his fist and going to pocket it, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have- fuck, I should have just shut my mouth. I won’t bring it up again, we can just forget this, and-”

“Stop,” You reach for his hand, covering his closed fist with your open palm, “Give me the necklace.”

He unfurls his hand, slowly, unsurely. His eyes linger on you, and he watches as you carefully scoop the jewelry from his palm, your fingers delicately brushing over the heart.

“You really love me?” You verify, keeping your eyes on the silver charm so that if this is some sick joke, you won’t see him break the facade. You won’t see the adoration in his eyes turn to mockery, the love to hatred.

“I really do,” He promises, “And I know that I’m not the best at communicating that…”

“What with the constant teasing and badgering?” You glance up at him for the first time since his confession, your view of his face obscured by your lashes.

“Yeah,” He grimaces, “That.”

“Can I be honest with you, Jake?” You bite the inside of your cheek, regretting admitting what you’re about to say before you’ve even said it.

“Yeah,” He breathes, and you think he expects the worst.

“I kind of like it,” You admit, and his frown breaks. 

“I knew it,” He gloats, his grin wide and bright, “I knew there was a reason you never say anywhere I couldn’t steal your food.”

“Yeah, yeah,” You groan, closing your fist around the necklace, “I haven’t responded to your confession yet, have I, Seresin? Don’t get too cocky.”

As much as you’re teasing him, he takes it seriously. His grin dims, and his eyes soften, worry pooling in his irises.

“I..” You start, eyes on the heart that still lies in the rips of your jeans instead of his own gaze, “I love you, too.”

“You do?” You think you’re starting to like his voice when it’s not brash and cocky, instead sincere and a little timid.

“I do,” You nod, glancing back up at him, “And.. I don’t really know what to do about that. I tried to ignore it, because we work together, and because I wasn’t sure you liked me back, but.. I do love you, Jake.”

“That,” He smiles, real and genuine, “Is something I’ve wanted to hear you say for years, darlin;.”

“Well. you should thank your inebriated self last night,” You laugh, letting him take the necklace from your fist and unclasp it, “You’re very touchy when you’re drunk, and I may or may not have seen your penis.”

“That’s.. not something I remember.” Jake grimaces, pausing with the necklace open in his hands, “Was it.. I mean- did you.. like it?”

“Quit while you’re ahead,” You advise Jake, leaning forwards so that he can wrap his arms around your neck, “I’m not talking about your dick at brunch with our friends.”

“They’re not here yet,” He murmurs, and when you lock eyes, you take in the fact that he’s only inches from your face.

There’s a soft click as he clasps the necklace against the base of your hairline, then he drops it to your neck. The chain is cold, but Jake’s hands are warm where they smooth over your cheeks. You let your lashes flutter shut, lips already slightly puckered, waiting for the press of his own over them. You can’t be but a hair’s breadth away from kissing Jake when a shrill scream comes from the parking lot, and your eyes snap open with a start.

You turn, but he doesn’t release your face, instead pressing his cheek to yours as you both look for the culprit. It’s not Natasha you find with her hands clamped over her mouth, but Rooster, though the former is smirking.

“We carpooled,” She informs you, elbowing Bradley in the side, “We were only five minutes late, and you guys have already sucked face?”

“I gave her the necklace,” Hangman reaches over to show off the charm around your neck, “I, uh- asked for Phoenix’s help buying it. I didn’t know what you’d like.”

“Thanks,” You laugh sheepishly, though you’re not sure who you’re talking to. Maybe both of them, “Uh, is that Fanboy’s car?”

It is, tires crunching against spare bits of asphalt as he turns into the parking lot.

“Coyote’s in there, too,” Hangman groans, pulling back from where you’d been smushed together, “Let’s hope they didn’t see.”

“Oh, we’ll tell them,” Natasha promises, and her laugh can only be described as maniacal, “They each owe me $20, they thought she’d say no.”

feedback is greatly appreciated! comment, reblog, talk in the tags, send me a message, tell me what you think!

[mynameismckenziemae]

In Case You Didn’t Know Part 1

(next part here)

Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x You

Summary: Jake and Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Mason (you) have been best friends since diapers. You’ve been there for each other every step of the way; middle school bullies, broken hearts, baseball games, grad school and the Navy. Jake’s shaken to the core when a mission goes south and he takes his medical leave at home, knowing you’re the only thing that’ll make him feel okay again.

Warnings: 18+ MDNI-this chapter doesn’t contain smut but future ones will, discussions of death and cancer, swearing, etc.

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

Jake always thought the whole ‘life flashes before your eyes when you’re about to die’ saying was bullshit.

But as his jet plummets toward the ground and smoke fills the cockpit, he realizes it’s true; with one exception.

Every memory features you.

The engine failure alarms serve as the background music to each one that flies by. On the first day of kindergarten when you took his hand to lead him inside because he was too scared to go in alone. Being each other’s first kiss the night before Becca Wilson’s birthday party since seven minutes in heaven was rumored to happen. The relieved smile when you found out you were allowed to play on the boy’s high school baseball team since there weren’t enough girls for softball. How you blushed at his whistle when you walked down the stairs in your prom dress. The way you melted when he handed you the black lab puppy you wanted so badly after grad school but couldn’t afford. Finally, the heart-wrenching sobs as he held you when cancer stole your mom 6 months ago. He never wanted to hear it again.

Will you cry like that if he dies?

“No,” he mutters, picturing your tears, your devastation.

Is it better or worse that you don’t know he’s in love with you?

“Hangman, I need you to eject,” your voice whispers.

His brow furrows. You’ve never called him by his callsign.

“Charlie?” He mumbles, unconsciousness fighting to pull him under.

“HANGMAN! EJECT!” Rooster screams, pleading over the radio.

He snaps out of it and adrenaline pumps through his veins when he sees the ground rapidly approaching.

Everything goes black when he pulls the ejection handle.

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

“…recovery is at least 12 weeks. We’ll get you transferred to NHCP-“

“No. I’m going home,” Jake interrupts the doctor. He hates everything medical; between the needles, blood, fluorescent lighting, antiseptic smells, he feels like he could crawl out of his skin.

“Lt. Seresin, you’re going to need a lot of assistance. Help showering, stairs are out of the question, you can’t drive, daily physical therapy-“

“I know. I’ll have help at home and I know a great physical therapist,” Jake says in a tone that leaves no room for discussion.

The doctor hesitates before resigning with a sigh. “Alright. I’ll get the write the orders and finish your discharge paperwork so we can get you out of here.”

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

A loud crash from your front porch has you sitting straight up in bed with a racing heart.

The hair on your dog’s (named Cash, after the Man in Black himself) back stands straight up as he growls low in his throat.

You slip out of bed and pick up the baseball bat you keep by your bed before creeping down the hall behind your dog.

“Charlie? It’s me,” Jake groans through the door. Cash relaxes when he hears Jake’s familiar voice and his tail starts to wag excitedly.

You drop the bat and throw it open. “What are you doing here at 5 in the morning?!” You laugh, but it dies when you see him on the ground. “Oh my God, Jake! What happened?! Are you okay?!” You gasp, crouching to help him onto his back. Cash stays back, sensing something isn’t right.

“I lost my balance on the step trying to juggle my suitcase and these fucking crutches,” he grits out, trying to right himself.

“Leave the crutches. I’ll hand them to you once I get you up. On three, okay? 1,2,3,” you say, hoisting him to his feet. Well, foot.

But before you can hand him the crutches, he wraps you in a tight hug with a choked sob.

“Oh Jake,” you whisper, tears prickling in your own eyes. You’ve only seen him cry a handful of times, and never like this.

You rub soothing circles on his back, only releasing him when he finally relaxes. “Let’s get you inside and off that leg.”

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

“You look like awful,” you observe as you get him settled on your couch.

“Thanks,” he grimaces when you elevate his foot.

“What am I working with here?” You nod to his cast.

“Fractured the 2 bones in my lower leg. Nothing else is broken, I’m sore everywhere and my shoulders are pretty bruised too, but I was lucky.”

“You had to eject,” you conclude when he pulls his collar to show you the dark purpling.

“Yeah, in a heavily wooded area, hence the scratches on my face. I suppose it was a good thing though, slowed me down a little before I hit the ground.”

You bite your lip to stop the many questions on the tip of your tongue. He looks so exhausted, in pain, and not ready to talk about it yet.

“I’ll make us something to eat and I’m going back to sleep for a bit. You look like you could some too.”

He nods in agreement. “I haven’t slept in days…I just wanted to get home.”

“Well, now you are and can rest. I’ll be back in a few.”

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

“Here, take these,” you hand him some over-the-counter pain meds and a glass of orange juice once he has some food in his stomach.

“Thanks, I’m sorry to drop in like this. I don’t-I didn’t think things through, I just needed to get out of that hospital-“

“It’s okay,” you interrupt, unable to watch him getting more and more anxious. “Really, Jake. You know I’m always here for you. I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Charlie. So much,” he says, voice cracking. But he clears his throat and changes the subject. “This couch is amazing, but do you really need 50 pillows?”

You swallow the lump in your throat and roll your eyes. “Yes, I really do,” you say, smacking him gently with one of the said pillows before handing him the remote. “Wanna find something to watch while I throw these in the dishwasher?”

“Sure, thanks again.”

“Welcome,” you reply, ruffling his hair like you always have. It used to drive him crazy but now he relishes those touches.

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

“Yessssss, Joe Dirt! I haven’t seen this in ages,” you say, throwing a blanket over him as you come back to the living room.

“We watched it last time I was home,” Jake says, giving you a look.

“Yeah, that was 5 months ago though,” you reply. Recalling why he was here.

Your mom had died early on a Tuesday morning. It was as peaceful as it could be when cancer ravishes someone so quickly. Cash was curled around your legs as you held one of her hands in yours, while Jake’s mom, Ruth held the other. Jake’s sister, Emma, played with the short hair that started to grow back when she stopped the chemo like she always did when she was little. Jake’s dad, Tom had a hand on her leg while he hummed ‘I’ll Fly Away’.

Jake’s family left once the funeral home took her body away after much convincing and reassuring that you were fine, and finally you could fall back into bed. That’s where you stayed for the next 18 hours until Jake found you, so empty and unlike yourself. He was on his way home when he found out Lisa had taken a turn for the worst, but she went downhill quicker than anyone expected. Your first tears fell as he climbed into bed and held you when the sobs wracked your body.

You’re not sure what strings he pulled but he stayed with you for 3 weeks. He helped you bathe and dry your hair the day of the funeral, making you smile when he said he couldn’t do make up. He held your hand at the service, and talked to everyone who approached to give their sympathies so you didn’t have to. He cleaned up her room, packed her clothes into totes, and arranged for the hospital bed to be taken away so you didn’t have to look at it.

“You could go years without watching it and be able to recite it by heart with how many times we’ve seen this movie,” Jake sighs dramatically.

“It’s my favorite. Can you blame me? Look at that mullet.”

“That’s what does it for ya? Maybe I’ll have to grow one,” Jake jokes, lifting his head as you sit down and resting back down on your thighs. Cash jumps up on the other side, resting his head between Jake’s and your stomach.

“Don’t tease me, you’ll turn me on with that visual,” you laugh. “Can you do the white-trash facial hair too? That combination? Phew! Panty dropping!”

He looks up from your lap and laughs for the first time since the accident.

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

The tension leaves his body as your fingers run through his hair, and he’s asleep within minutes.

Your chest tightens as you look him over; the dark circles under his eyes, a cut under his chin has stitches that will need to come out soon, the purple bruising by his shoulders when you shift his collar, and his leg swelling above the cast.

Yet he’s as beautiful as ever. He’s always been attractive-cute as a boy, hot as a teenager but downright mouth-watering as a man. You started to develop feelings in high school and hoped when you went your separate ways after that those feelings would fizzle out, but they didn’t. They were always simmering on the back burner with the absence, rising to the top with every reconciliation and boiling over when he took care of you 6 months ago.

You aren’t sure how Jake feels. He’s always been a flirt but sometimes you catch the heat in his eyes and the way he reaches for you before catching himself. As much as you long to find out, you aren’t willing to risk ruining your friendship.

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

Jake’s choking, panicked gasps wake you a few hours later.

“Jake, sweetheart, it’s okay. You’re okay,” you murmur, pressing a kiss to his clammy forehead before you think better of it.

His eyes fly open and his panicked gaze meets yours. Cash comes over and nudges Jake's hand with his nose, whining until Jake puts his hand on his head.

“Take some deep breaths with me. In…one, two, three. Hold…one, two, three. Out…one, two, three. Good Jake, again.”

You repeat it until his breathing regulates.

“Charlie, we need to talk. I need you…r help.”

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

A/N: I think this is the first thing I’ve written without smut. Don’t worry, it’s coming. Sorry this was a little short, but it felt like a good stopping point.

Fun fact: Joe Dirt is the movie my husband and I watched the first time we hung out (back in 2009 🥴)

Every interaction is appreciated but I really like hearing what you think ☺️ Especially since this is the first time I’ve written something not based around smut haha.

Tagging:

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[dingochef]

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x OFC (Reader)

Word Count: 3.1k

Warnings: Roleplay, power differential, cum play, p in v, oral (m&f receiving), dom/sub elements, edging, orgasm denial, masturbation, slight shoe kink

My small contribution to Kinktober.

Masterlist

Measure of Man

You are seated at your dining table, waiting for Jake to arrive home and to find the sticky note you left on the front door,

"Lt. Seresin,

Report to my office immediately.

-Dr. Matthews"

This idea has been floating in your head for awhile, an opportunity to have a little different kind of fun with Jake. Frankly after the shitty day you had at work, the appeal of getting outside of your own head and piss poor mood sounded good and hopefully you'd get a good orgasm or two out of it.

Jake steps into the house holding the sticky note in his hand, a quizzical look on his face as he holds it up. You talk before he can.

"Take a seat, Lieutenant Seresin," you direct Jake to sit in the kitchen chair pulled out from the table. You've staged your dining room table to be a "desk" including an old name plate that reads, "Dr. Elsa Matthews, PhD."

Jake gives you a slightly raised eyebrow as he sits down.

Picking up a file folder you ask Jake,

"Do you know why you're here?"

"No, El,--" he responds tentatively before you cut him off.

"I thought you Navy guys were good with titles, please address me as Dr. or Ma'am. I've been called here to evaluate your ability to go on a very important mission."

"Okay, Ma'am," he responds, his Texan accent coming out, he nods to complete the act of deference.

"We have two options, one, I ask you questions and you give me answers you think I want to hear," you say walking around the kitchen table to sit on the edge, crossing your legs. Jake's gaze at your legs tucked into a tight pencil skirt and the high black heels you're wearing does not go unnoticed.

"Or two, we employ a more hands-on method," you finish.

Jake smirks that cocky grin of his and sits up a little straighter, his brain having caught on to your game.

"I'd be interested in hearing more about this hands-on approach, Ma'am."

"It's a little unorthodox, but trust me when I say you'll be satisfied with the results. So, what will it be, Lieutenant?"

You uncross your legs and recross them as he ponders your words, your movement distracting him slightly,

"Uhh, the second one," he answers as he clears his throat.

"Excellent, let's get started," you say hopping off the table, "Take your clothes off, we'll start with the physical examination first."

Jake looks at you not sure exactly where this is going,

"I thought this was a psych evaluation, Ma'am."

"Is a comprehensive exam to evaluate a few characteristics like your overall fitness for the mission, physical stamina, impulse control, your ability to follow orders, and most of all my satisfaction that you're up to the mission requirements. If you don't want to do this, Lieutenant Seresin, I can just move on to my next appointment,"

you glance down at the file folder on the desk,

"A Lieutenant Bradshaw? Maybe he'll be more cooperative and eager to please me?"

Jake scowls and stands up and starts to strip, starting with his uniform shirt.

"Oh, I think you'll find me very eager to please and definitely will satisfy all your requirements, Dr. Matthews,"

he says, stripping off his uniform shirt and undershirt draping them across the back of the chair. He kneels down to untie his boots, pulling them off along with his socks that he neatly tucks under the chair. Jake stands up in a parade rest waiting for your next command.

"Everything, Lieutenant. You'll find I'm very thorough in my exam," you say, as sternly as you can as you reach forward and cup Jake through his khakis. His hips buck forward reflexively and his cock starts to harden under your hand.

Jake hides a small grin as he slowly moves his hands to his belt buckle unlatching the gold metal. After undoing the button and zipper he pushes down his pants and underwear in one smooth motion before standing back up. His cock proud and erect in front of him.

You pick up a fabric tape measure and a clipboard from your "desk" and step over to Jake.

The tape measure slides easily over one of Jake's biceps; you pretend to write down a measurement on your clipboard. You let the tape measure trail around Jake's body as your hands smooth over his hard muscle and golden skin and you "accidentally" bump your body into his, like when you step away after measuring his waist you let your fabric covered ass graze his erection. All the while you're marking down "measurements" on the notepad and occasionally humming small words of praise. Jake is standing perfectly still and the only way he lets on how he is affected by your touch is the occasional sharp inhale when you graze his cock. Your last move is to wrap your hand around his cock and hold it out to be measured. You hold the tape measure end to the base of his cock, the cold of the metal tip causing him to startle. Your other hand lifts his member up and you pull the tape measure along length, earning a light grunt from Jake. You let the tape measure fall away and keep fisting his cock. Jake looks down at you trying to read your face.

You maintain a disinterested, professional look as you continue to jerk him off, enjoying the muted moans and grunts as he keeps up the facade. Just as he starts to thrust his hips in time to your motions you pull your hand away, pulling an anguished whine from Jake.

Satisfied with your teasing you step back and lean against the table.

"Impressive Lieutenant," you say,

"Peak physical condition."

Jake is lightly glaring at you while his dick drips precum, his green eyes locked onto yours as he awaits your next direction. The power and tension in the air along with Jake's naked body on display has wetness pooling between your legs. You sit back down on the desk and open your legs as much as you can in the tight pencil skirt. Jake's eyes automatically drop to your apex as the skirt starts to slide up. You can tell the moment he locks onto the lacey thong you're wearing; you have no doubt that there is a darker patch visible on the delicate fabric betraying your arousal. Jake smirks a little at that revelation.

"Next is the oral exam," you say, trying to maintain a professional tone. Jake nods and raises an eyebrow.

"Kneel lieutenant," you order and Jake slowly lowers himself to the floor, still a few feet away from the table.

"Your next task is to make me come with, what I've been told, is quite the mouth on you," Jake breaks into a smile and starts to shuffle forward on his knees to get closer to you,

"As timing is everything you've got five minutes to make me come, starting now."

You hit a timer on your phone laying on the table to emphasize your point.

You had expected Jake to dive in, frenzied to get you off, but he starts at a slower pace kissing up your legs and between your thighs. His confidence in his ability to make you cum translating to a leisurely pace. When he reaches your lace covered mound he breathes your scent in deeply. He drops a sweet kiss over the dark spot and slides his hands up to pull your thong off dropping it to the floor. Jake picks up your feet where they are dangling and places them on the table so you are butterflied completely open for him. The anticipation and just how close he is to your pussy makes you squirm with need. He is kissing all around you, except where you need him most. Finally, he runs his tongue down through your folds into your slit and back up around your clit. A loud sigh mixed with a moan escapes you as you try to hold yourself up so you watch Jake's every move. Jake lets out a muffled moan as he licks your clit. Two of his thick fingers circle around your slit, he gently slides one in quickly followed by the other. The stretch just the right side of intense and you feel yourself gush more arousal around his fingers. He moves his fingers in time with his assault on your clit. That burning need inside you starts to build deep in your belly. Jake curls his fingers in a come hither motion as he speeds up his efforts on your clit. The change in sensation ratchets you up another notch closer to your peak. Jake recognizes the flutter of your soft walls and your breathy moans and speeds up even more, determined to push you over the edge. All it takes is one furious suck on your clit and you are soaring a loud scream bursting forth from you.

You lay down against the table catching your breath as Jake continues to leave gentle kisses around your mound and your thighs.

Leaning up on your elbows, you take in the sight of Jake as he wipes his chin on his arm. Grabbing the clipboard you turn the timer off and inform him,

"You have successfully passed the oral portion of the evaluation, with some time to spare."

Jake smugly grins from between your legs awaiting your next request.

"Take a seat, Lieutenant," you order and Jake complies quickly.

"One characteristic we look for in a mission leader is the ability to control your base impulses, to put others first," you state, walking around his chair, your fingers trailing across his broad shoulders.

"I can assure you that I'm very in control and everyone comes before me," Jake says, earnestly.

You have to bite your cheek not to laugh at the double entendre Jake is laying down.

"This next exercise is designed to test that theory exactly."

Jake watches you with his intense green eyes as you stand in front of him and start to unbutton your very professional white blouse revealing the matching bra to your thong on the floor.

You turn your back to Jake and unzip your skirt letting it fall. Your bra follows soon after till you are completely naked save for your heels in front of Jake. He greedily eyes you up from head to toe, a subconscious lick of his lips betraying his lust along with his obvious erection.

Walking confidently to where Jake sits you straddle one of his legs and pull his chin up so your eyes meet.

"I'm going to ride your cock, but you are not allowed to come. If you feel close say, "parachute." I might ease up or just keep fucking you, see how far I can push you. Say "Red" if it's too much and we stop, understood, Lieutenant?"

Jake swallows hard and responds,

"Yes Ma'am."

You bend down and quickly take Jake's hard cock in your mouth as far as it can go, the action punches out a surprised moan from Jake. You pull off and keep a hold of his cock as you guide it inside of you, a long moan of satisfaction boiling up from Jake's throat. You enjoy the feeling of connection and see that Jake is doing everything in his power not to start thrusting up into you. He waits patiently for you to move. Feeling a bit generous you grab the short hair at the back of his neck and pull, forcing his lips up for you to greedily kiss. You start a slow roll of your hips up and down his cock. Jake's hands hang at his sides.

"Hands behind your head," you order and Jake complies.

You lick your fingers and reach down to rub your sensitive clit as you move up and down.

"Quite the impressive performance so far, Lieutenant Seresin. I look forward to the rest of your evaluation," you say, your pace of your hips steadily increasing along with your rhythm on your clit. You watch every twitch and look of pleasure on Jake's face as you ride him. Jake grips at his own hair and tenses his arm muscles as he tries to stave off his impending release. You put as much muscle as you can into your movements up and down which pushes you closer to the edge.

"Mmm, I know I'm close to another. How are you doing? You're not going to disappoint me and come, are you?" you tease.

"No, Ma'am. Want to be good for you," Jake grits out, eyes rolling back as you climax on his cock, squeezing hard as you peak. You're relentless as you keep riding him, bracing your feet on the chair by his thighs to give you even more leverage. The room is filled with the sound of skin slapping against skin, your moans of pleasure, and Jake's grunts through gritted teeth. You manage to squeeze out another orgasm before Jake grunts out,

"Parachute."

You still your hips, but stay perched on his cock. You dismount and turn around so you can guide him in from behind.

"Good control, Lieutenant. Let's resume," you say as you start to ride him again. You repeat this game several more times, driving Jake to the edge and then stopping short. Abruptly you stand up disconnecting from Jake.

Jake looks lost as you look down at him, his dick hard, red, and pulsing.

"Please, El, need you, need to come," he pleads, breaking his character.

"Lieutenant Seresin, I will not tolerate your insubordination and lack of respect. Stand up," you order, your voice a bit hard.

Jake nearly stumbles as he follows your order, he stands before you in a parade rest, chest slightly heaving. You lean up and kiss just below his ear as you lazily stroke down his chest, just ghosting over his cock.

"I was going to let you come, Lieutenant, but now I'm not so sure. Your impulse control and ability to follow orders leaves something to be desired. You're going to have to do a good job of convincing me why you should come." You sit back down on the desk.

"Yes Ma'am. I understand and I apologize for disrespecting you," Jake replies, the building desperation apparent in his voice.

"Come closer," you bark and Jake steps closer.

You trail the toe of your shoe up Jake's inner thigh and just barely lift his balls with the shiny patent leather; the ecstasy on his face betrays how much even this little touch is pushing him closer to the edge.

"Why should I let you come, Seresin?"

you ask, mockingly, as you run your shoe on the underside of his dick. Jake lets out a ragged sob of a moan, grateful for some touch. He slowly starts to thrust at your foot, obviously desperate for something.

"Please Ma'am, please let me come. I'll eat you out for the rest of the day, the rest of the week. I'll live under your desk and give you head during all your appointments," Jake pleads, eyes screwing shut as he continues to thrust at your shoe and the air.

"Negotiating, good tactic. Glad to see you can think on your feet. Touch yourself, Lieutenant."

You drop your foot away as Jake starts to fist his cock. He opens his eyes, the desperation to come heavy in his eyes.

"May I come, Ma'am?" he rasps out.

You pretend to ponder it for a moment watching the panic start to build on Jake's face which quickly turns to pure need as you slide off the table and to your knees in front of him. You take his cock in your hand and continue to stroke him.

"I think you've passed my evaluation today. I'm satisfied with the results, are you Lieutenant Seresin?" you coo.

You finish your sentence by taking in his length into your mouth, relishing in the sounds you are pulling out of Jake at this needy moment. You start to bob your head along his cock, determined to push him over the edge.

"Yes, fuck…ahh, yes, I'm satisfied with the result, Dr….ahhh, shit, Dr. Matthews. Please, may I come?" he asks, voice strained.

You pop him out your mouth and continue to jerk him off,

"Yes, you can come."

Jake lets out a loud low moan as he climaxes, spurts of hot cum landing on your face and tongue. His jaw agape and muscles tensed as he watches his release puddle on your face.

"Holy fuck, fuck, El," he stutters a long with the last thrusts of his hips to eek out the last drops of pleasure.

Jake reaches out to gently cup your face as he catches his breath, his thumb catching some of his come and pushing it onto your tongue. You suck lightly on his thumb earning a small moan from him. He turns around and hands you his discarded T-shirt to clean up.

Mostly cleaned up, you wrap your arms around Jake's neck and pull him down for a sweet kiss. Jake wraps his arms around you, returning the gesture.

"Was that okay?" you ask, suddenly feeling a little off. Roleplay was something you had discussed before but today was probably a bit of a surprise for him.

"That was very okay, and you did a good job of checking in. Trust me to know my limits, El. Also it was hot as fuck and I may have cummed my brains out. Shower?" he says, soothingly to you.

Your doubt quelled, you lead Jake to the shower and sit him on the bench, washing his hair first. He leans into your touch, letting you take care of him.

"Anything in particular bring that on, El?" Jake asks, after a few minutes, as you scrub his back.

"Very shitty day at work, some asshat vendor kept talking over me and mansplaining something I had to remind him that I have a god damn patent on and my boss didn't seem to care. Just felt so frustrated and…small," you say.

Jake turns around,

"So you wanted to be the powerful goddess that you are by ordering around your very manly, virile, burly, extremely handsome, peak of maleness, strong aviator boyfriend?" he asks, getting to the heart of the matter.

You smile at his self praise and duck your head into his chest,

"Well, yes, when you put it that way I feel a little embarrassed."

Jake cups your chin and pulls your face out to meet his gaze, he sweetly kisses you on the forehead,

"Don't be, El. It was hot as fuck and I'm glad I'm here for you in a way that was very mutually pleasurable. It really turns me on when you take what you want, what you need."

"Thank you, Jake."

"Anytime, El. Anytime. Plus it gave me a couple of ideas for the future."

@kmc1989

@starswholistenanddreamsanswered

@mayhemmanaged

@callmemana

@dempy

@hangmanscoming

@lanie-k

@callsign-viper

@senjoritanana

@djs8891

@atarmychick007

@memoriesat30

@midnightmagpiemama

@mygyn

[bradshawssugarbaby]

Urban Cowboy - Jake Seresin x Reader

pairing: Jake Seresin x f! reader

warnings/content: smut, unprotected p in v, mildly mean!dom Jake, teasing, jealous Jake

word count: 3.2k

The sounds of some 80s pop song echoed throughout the Hard Deck, a cheap colourful strobe light flashed around the room, its rainbow coloured beams striking random bargoers as they began to dance along to whatever was playing. It was new idea your aunt had come up with - doing theme nights at the bar once a month as a way to freshen things up and breathe new life into the military bar scene. 

Since you moved here four months ago, you’d gotten familiar with the regulars - there was Bradley Bradshaw, a man far older than he looked, with a penchant for comandeering the piano if the bar needed livening up, Natasha Trace, who had a fiery personality and often kept the other guys in their place, especially when the beers were flowing and they started flirting with unsuspecting patrons, Robert Floyd, the shy backseater who was always polite, tipped well and seemed to be the permanent designated driver on nights out, Reuben Fitch, who stood about a foot taller than you, and always had a witty comeback on hand, just in case, Mickey Garcia, who was sweet, but could talk anyone’s ear off about Star Trek, and Javy Machado, resident score keeper and pool table champion. 

Leading the group, was your Aunt Penny’s boyfriend, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. He often would come in, finding a table at the back of the room for his squad before abandoning them to spend the evening at the bar, chatting your aunt up and offering up any excuse to come behind the bar and sneak a hand to her hip or steal a squeeze of her rear. It was sweet the way your aunt and Pete were loved up, like a couple of teenagers who couldn’t keep their hands off each other. 

This afternoon, Pete came in at four o’clock sharp, just as he promised to help set up. As he hung a couple of decorations you and your aunt had managed to find online, he turned to you and smiled, watching as you prepped the theme night’s cocktail menu.

“I forgot to tell you, another one of my guys is going to be here tonight. He’s been off training at a different base for the last few months, just landed in this morning. You’ll like him. He’s a firecracker.”

“Isn’t that your way of saying he’s a cocky asshole?”

“I wouldn’t say asshole. He’s just very…confident. I think you’ll like him though.”

“Are you talking about Jake?” Penny piped up as she looked at Pete, watching as he climbed up the step ladder to hang another decoration from the ceiling.

“Yeah, don’t you think they’d hit it off?”

“I think she might hit him.”

“What? No way. Jake’s not that bad.”

Penny scoffed and shook her head, laughing. Holding her hands up in surrender, she walked away, retreating back to the bar to begin making sure all the key ingredients to your drink menu were where they needed to be. You continued to stuff the evening’s special menus into their plastic protective sleeves, shaking your head at Pete’s attempts to try and set you up with someone from his squad. It wasn’t the first time, you’d been on a date with Bradley once before, but found the age gap was too great between the two of you, with Bradley in complete agreement that you were much better suited as friends than lovers, and on a date with Reuben, who, despite efforts between the two of you, there was no chemistry shared there. 

As five o’clock approached, you hurried into the back stockroom to change into your themed outfit for the night, pulling your hair out of the velcro rollers that Penny had helped you wrap your hair up into, creating the perfect 80s voluminous curl that would make even Christie Brinkley jealous. Your tight fitting Daisy Duke style shorts accentuated your curves, hugging your thighs and hips in all the right places, your crisp white button down shirt tied just under your bra, showing off your tanned, soft midsection. A pair of mid-sized silver hoop earrings hung from your earlobes to complete the look. Your aunt’s stash of Aqua-Net hairspray was all you needed to finish it off, stepping out the back door to shake your curls out and spray them with enough hairspray to ensure they wouldn’t budge for the night. 

You reentered the bar to find Pete’s friends piling in, the other regular patrons all trickling in and getting comfortable as they came through, turning the bar into a sea of cheesy fake mustaches and 80s style Hawaiian shirts, brightly coloured polos and coordinating Bermuda shorts, wigs and legwarmers. The evening was quickly livening up, and you got to work behind the bar with your aunt, pulling pints and mixing drinks, firing off orders left right and center as the bar filled with partygoers. 

An hour into the night, Bradley approached the bar, his aviator sunglasses perched atop his chocolate coloured curls, his loud, brightly coloured Hawaiian print shirt buttoned just enough to allow a few sparing curls of chest hair to peek out from the top. He leaned against the bar, smiling at you, his mustache neatly combed to closer resemble a style from the 80s. If you didn’t know any better, you’d swear he was trying to emulate Tom Selleck. You’d seen pictures of Bradley’s dad and Pete from back in the 80s, and recognized the shirt anywhere. It was clear Bradley was dressed identically to his father, and you had to admire the dedication he had to the theme. 

“What can I get you, Bradshaw?”

“Hi dollface, I’ll take a Budweiser. And a chance to take you for a spin later?”

“We’ve done this before, Bradley,” you laughed as you cracked the top off the beer bottle and slid it across the counter to him. Bradley shook his head as he sipped the frothy liquid, grinning as he set the bottle down on the counter.

“I didn’t mean you. I’m practicing. I can’t be dressed like this and not use some kind of weird 80s shit to impress a girl, right? I’m just…using you for practice. Did it work?”

“Bradley, why don’t you, I don’t know, just, be yourself?” 

“Because tonight I’m not myself. I’m some single 39 year old in the 80s trying to get a date, apparently.”

“Well then, gag me with a spoon, that was gnarly. Try a different line. One that doesn’t begin with “dollface”?”

“Got it, thanks!”

You watched as Bradley sauntered away to go try his luck with a pretty blonde over by the jukebox. You smirked to yourself as you heard Bradley start singing along to Madonna, carrying the tune with an impressive baritone that you weren’t expecting. You knew he could sing, but singing Madonna was a whole new side to him. Turning your back for a moment, you began fixing a drink for yourself, mixing together the ingredients for a Shirley Temple. You looked up to see a tall, broad-shouldered blonde man approach the bar counter, his hair slicked back, and a blonde mustache that made poor Bradley’s look unimpressive rested on his upper lip. The most stunning pair of bright green eyes looked at you, and a set of perfectly straight, whitened teeth fresh out of a Colgate commercial flashed a smile at you.

“Hi Darlin’, I’ll take whatever’s on tap.”

“Sure thing,” You nodded, trying hard not to audibly gulp at the adonis of a man standing in front of you. 

“Are you new ‘round here?” he drawled, “I’d remember a pretty face like yours.”

“Uh, within the last four months, yeah.” you nodded as you finished pulling a pint of draught for him, the frothy head of the beer perfectly resting in the glass. 

“Oh! That’ll explain it. Lieutenant Jake Seresin, at your service, m’am.” He winked, and you felt yourself melt a little at the sight of this human embodiment of a Ken doll flirting with you. 

“You’re Jake?”

“Depends who’s askin’, Honey.” His accent was thick and heavy, something straight out of those reruns of The Andy Griffiths Show that your mom made you watch when you were a child.

“I’m Penny’s niece,” you nodded, giving him your name and laughing softly as your cheeks blushed, “I moved down here to help her out with things around here while I try to figure some life things out.”

“I see,” he smirked, sipping his beer, the foam brushing against his mustache as he set the glass down. “And does that list of things you’re figuring out include finding a strong, charming, handsome Southern boy?”

“It might, do you know any?” You quipped, raising an eyebrow as you sipped your own drink, pretending to feign disinterest in the handsome stranger before you.

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

“That so, hun? Who? Do I know him?”

“Not yet, but I think he sure would like to know you, Darlin’.”

You shook your head, your curls bouncing as you started to laugh, unable to control yourself. Jake was as bold as he was handsome, and you were suddenly realizing what Pete was referring to when he said that Jake was confident. He practically exuded a cocksure confidence from every pore in his body. And while that would normally repulse you and send you heading for the hills, with Jake, it felt different. You couldn’t help but feel drawn to him, his magnetic charms and graces pulling you in, and your inhibitions wearing down. However, you also knew how to deal with men like this - he was in need of an ego check, and you were just the person for the job. 

“Is that right? Well, you tell your little Southern-fried wannabe cowboy of a friend that if he’s interested, he’s going to have to stick around the bar all night. I promised Aunt Penny I’d help her make sure this night went smoothly, and I don’t need a knockoff Dukes of Hazzard cast member distracting me.” 

“Wannabe cowboy?” Jake gasped in feigned offence, clutching his chest dramatically as he slipped into an even thicker accent than earlier, “Now Darlin’, I don’t know if you know this, but you’re breakin’ my heart over here. One thing I ain’t is a wannabe cowboy. You know, I used to ride in rodeos as a kid? Was one of the best there was for under 15 year olds, ‘til I decided to join the Navy instead.”

“Oh, so you’re like, a real cowboy then,” you teased, your voice dripping with sarcasm. 

“S’pose you could say that. Only one real way to find out, ain’t there?”

“Take you to a farm and watch you wrangle cattle on horseback?” you retorted sarcastically.

“You’re funny, I like that.”

“I bet you do.” 

Jake leaned in across the bar, a smirk forming on his lips as he looked at you, his bright green eyes fixated on your lips as you spoke. His long eyelashes fluttered at you as he eyed you up, practically undressing you with his imagination. You grinned as you gestured to the sign behind you, reading that if you disrespect a lady, you owe everyone a round. 

“Watch it, Lieutenant. If you’re not careful, I’ll go ring that bell and you’ll learn a very expensive lesson.”

“Oh, Darlin’, I can guarantee, I ain’t gonna learn anything from it. I’m just dumb enough to do it again. Can’t help myself around a pretty girl like yourself.”

You scoffed and rolled your eyes, shaking your head as you laughed at his relentless attempt. You knew the only reason he persisted was because you were teasing him, but at the same time, you didn’t mind the attention he was giving you. He wasn’t as tall as Bradley, or as broad shouldered, but he was built like a linebacker, with a solid frame and the accent alone was enough to drive you crazy.

It was almost 11 when Jake stopped you again, this time, outside of the stockroom when you’d disappeared back there for more maraschino cherries and pineapple juice. He leaned against the wall, his arms folded across his chest, causing his pastel-coloured polo shirt to bulge around his biceps. His lips curled up in that annoyingly perfect smile once again as he stood in your path.

“Hey, Honey, need a hand with that?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” you shrugged it off, shaking your head as you smirked at him, “You often follow girls into storage rooms?”

“Only the ones worth following.”

“Wow, Lieutenant, with a response like that, it’s a wonder you don’t have a trail of broken hearts following you around.”

“What is your issue, anyway? You got a thing against blondes? Pilots?”

“Please,” you smirked, shaking your head, “I went on a date with Rooster. He’s a pilot.”

“Is it ‘cause I’m from Texas?”

“No, it’s because you’re probably the most arrogant prick I’ve ever had the displeasure of coming across, actually. God, it’s like you think all you have to do is flash that stupid handsome smile and I’ll throw myself at you.”

Jake’s face fell slightly as he raised an eyebrow at you. You could tell he wasn’t used to having a girl put him in his place like this, but his crestfallen gaze was quickly replaced by that shit-eating grin he seemed to never go without sporting. 

“Honey, you’re real pretty when you get mean like that.”

“You’re impossible,” you sighed in exasperation.

“But you love it, don’t you?” 

Jake closed the gap between the two of you as he spoke, taking a couple steps closer to you. You bit your lip as you hesitated, thinking about the consequences that might follow if you acted on your desires. 

Fuck it. 

Your hands gripped the fabric of his polo shirt, pulling him down to your height as you crashed your lips into his passionately. You kissed a slow, hot trail up to his ear, a breathy moan escaping your lips as he put his hands on your hips to bring you in as close as possible, his body heat radiating on to you. 

“You gonna show me just how good you are, Cowboy?”

“Yes, m’am. I reckon I could show you a better time than any other man in here.”

Jake’s hand slipped down your curves, reaching around to cup your ass cheeks as he hoisted you up effortlessly, wrapping your legs around your waist. You quickly discarded the cherries and juice that were in your hands, wrapping your arms around his neck to steady yourself. Jake’s lips worked their way along your neck, wet, fervent kisses that made your body squirm with pleasure, your arousal growing and burning in your stomach with each second. 

“Back door?” He murmured against your neck, his hands keeping a firm hold of your ass.

“Two steps behind me, to the left,” you panted, nodding your head as he sucked on your skin. 

It was unseasonably warm for May, the humidity hanging in the air as you left the air conditioned building. Jake pushed you up against the wall, using it as leverage as he quickly reached down to undo your shorts and wiggled them out of the way. He ran two of his thick fingers along the outside of your lace underwear, stroking the dampened fabric as he smirked to himself.

“Someone’s eager, aren’t ya, Darlin’?”

“Just shut up and fuck me, ok?”

“Now, that any way to ask for it?”

A wicked grin appeared on his face as he slipped his fingers beneath the fabric, stroking at your clit with a feather light touch, just enough to make you whine for more. 

“Jake, I swear to fuck, if you don’t take me right now.”

“Shhh, Sugar, don’t want anyone to hear, do ya? Unless you get off on getting caught,” He purred as he coaxed his fingertips inside of your dripping entrance, pumping them into you with precision.

You tossed your head backwards as Jake thrusted his fingers further into you, each movement harder and faster than before. The determined look in his eye alone was almost enough to send you over the edge. This man was hell-bent on making you orgasm, and he was on the right track to get you there within a matter of seconds.

“Fuck, s-so close, Jake,” you keened, your fingers gripping his thick blonde hair as he brought you to your climax.

“That’s it, Sugar. Look at you, you’re a mess and I ain’t even started on you yet.”

“J-Jake, please,” you whimpered, coming undone as he fucked his fingers into you at a breakneck pace.

“Speak up, sweetheart, can’t hear ya.”

Your head started to spin as he pulled his fingers out of you, causing you to whine at the loss of contact. Just as you opened your mouth to speak, he slammed his hips forwards, shoving his thick cock inside of you, causing you to cry out in ecstasy at the sudden fullness. Trying to be quiet, you secretly thanked your lucky stars that the sounds of Your Love by The Outfield blared throughout the club. Just as the chorus picked up, Jake rocked his hips forwards again, fucking himself into you with enough force to make you feel as though he might blow your back out right then and there.

“That’s it, Sugar, takin’ me so well,” Jake smirked, “What was that you said about bein’ a wannabe cowboy? Bet those other boys can’t fuck you like this, now can they?”

You were practically rendered speechless by Jake’s precise, rhythmic thrusts into your cunt, his masculine grunting and teasing proving enough to throw you back over the edge once again. Your legs began to shake and shudder while he bucked his hips up into you, his eyes full of lust and hunger as he brought you to your second orgasm of the night. Your walls clenched around him tightly, eliciting a low, pornographic moan out of Jake. 

Raking your fingers through his hair, tugging on it as you threw your head back, you screamed out his name, louder than you intended. You lost your ability to hold yourself together as Jake’s thrusts became sloppier, his own orgasm following close behind yours. 

“Fuck, am I good?” He groaned, his eyes pleading for permission.

“On the pill, you’re good,” you panted, nodding quickly as Jake let himself go inside of you, your name falling from his lips like a sacred prayer as he repeated it over and over, praising you.

“Now, how ‘bout letting a strong, handsome Southern boy take you out on a date so he don’t feel so bad about fucking you until you can’t walk a couple hours after meetin’ ya?” He grinned as he readjusted himself and pulled his clothes back up. 

“I think I can fit you into my schedule, on one condition.”

“Mhmm? What’s that?”

“Next time, you come wearing a cowboy hat.”

“Deal, Sugar, I’ll even let you wear it.” 

[averagewriter-inthedark]

Now That We Don’t Talk | Jake Seresin blurb

Takes place during the TGM events

TGM masterlist

Characters & Pairings: Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x ex!reader (past romance), the dagger squad (platonic)

Content Warnings: light angst, profanity, slight suggestive content, cheating, breakup | female!reader | wc: 2.2k

Note: I’m obsessed with 1989 TV and I’ll admit I was never a TS fan growing up but her OG 1989 I liked and I fuck with some songs Evermore, Reputation, Lover & Midnights. That being said, I’ve got the vault tracks on repeat and as a fellow directioner….Harry, baby, I thought you’d be safe.

————————

“You went to a party I heard from everybody. You part the crowd like the red sea, don’t even get me started. Did you get anxious though, on the way home? I’ll guess I’ll never ever know. Now that we don’t talk.”

His number had been deleted for well over three years when she stepped foot into the familiar bar she once called a second home. It’d been just as long since they’d seen each other, neither aware they’d be reunited in mere moments. When she did find his face among the crowd of their colleagues, she froze, contemplating running out the door and back to her car. Images of their last night flooded her mind. She could recall the constant pinging of her cell phone. Text messages from mutual friends informing her that he had been seen in an intimate embrace with another woman before disappearing from the party.

When he got home he avoided her like the plague. Anxiety consuming his entire being, making it clear the rumors were not rumors. They were true as the sun brightened the sky in the day and the moon reigned at night.

“Jake,” her whimper made him freeze, hand on the railing of the steps leading to their bedroom. No response, only a shake of his head before he continued his journey up. Leaving her to cry herself to sleep on the kitchen floor.

It was a domino effect in the days following. The trust was gone, Jake going out more and coming back late at night. Eventually after two weeks of prolonging the inevitable, Jake returned to an empty apartment. All reminisce of their five years together gone in the blink of an eye. She left a simple note, “Hope it was worth it.”

“You grew your hair long, you got new icons. And from the outside it looks like you’re tryin’ lives on. I miss the old ways. You didn’t have to change. But I guess I don’t have a say, Now that we don’t talk.

Natasha was the first to catch her eye in the Hard Deck, putting down her beer to run over and greet the pilot with a quick hug. Careful not to let anyone else see since they were in uniform. “I’m so happy to see you, Blue.”

She returned the smile, though hers was more tense, “It’s great to see you too, Phee. How’ve you been?” Nerves swarmed her belly with each passing minute. Despite being happy to see her old friend, she was unable to ignore the elephant in the room. The man she thought she’d marry and grow old with on a farm after retiring from the Navy with a bunch of kids and animals was several feet from her.

Overall, Jake had not changed much since their breakup. He was tanner for starters, definitely more toned. But he still had that aura of confidence sometimes confused with being cocky and golden blonde hair making him appear like a life-sized Ken doll. Throughout their relationship she noticed the stares they got from men and women alike. Woman looked at him with want and at her with envy. Men did the same but opposite.

It always surprised people when they got together. Complete opposites, they were known to have a rivalry during their time at Top Gun when they were on the path to becoming the Navy’s best fighter pilots. Jake loved to get under her skin, she loved to deflate his ego. Somewhere the dislike and tension turned into complete desire. And before they knew it they were sneaking into each other’s dorms and getting naughty in the locker room showers.

Her body reacted when he was looking at her. He’d spot her in a crowded room and instantly the woman felt heat along her veins. And she felt that fire right then when a sudden rush of jitters sweeped her figure.

Natasha sensed it too, noticing how the woman became tense. Peeking a glance to the side, a glare took over her once soft expression, “We can go somewhere else if you want.”

“No,” she objected with a slight wave, “I’m fine. A little surprised--although I should’ve expected he’d be a candidate as well given the context of this mission. It’s just we haven’t talked since….”

“I understand,” Nat assured, placing a hand on her back and leading her to the bar. “Let’s get you a drink first, then we’ll deal with him.”

“I call my mom, she said that it was for the best. Remind myself, the more I gave you, you’d want me less. I cannot be your friend, so I pay the price of what I lost. And what it cost, now that we don’t talk.”

Her mothers words replayed over and over again with each step as the two approached the group. Jake was leaning over the pool, calculating his next shot when she moved straight past him causing him to lose focus and miss the ball he was aiming for completely.

“Blue!” Javy shouted, picking her up in a big hug and spinning them around. Not caring if superiors saw or the fact his best friend, who happens to be her ex, was right there. “I’ve missed you, Girl. What’s going on?”

“Nothing much, Javy,” she couldn’t help but giggle. Of all the friends Jake had, Javy was the one who still reached out to her from time to time. Plus he ripped Jake a new one when he found out why they broke up. To this day he still gives him hell for it. “Let it be Top Gun, to bring us all under one roof.”

“Don’t you know it,” he clicked his beer with hers. The two taking a swig at the same time. “Have you met these clowns?” he motioned to the three to his left, “This is Payback, Fanboy, and Bob.”

“Nice to meet you guys,” they shook hands, greeting her with the same enthusiasm. When Bradley arrived she was once again scooped up into a hug, although this time she caught sight of Jake’s hardened expression. That shouldn’t have surprised her. Bradley Bradshaw was the one man Jake always butt heads with.

But the blonde quickly shook it off when he realized he got caught. He had no right to be jealous. It’d been three years since they broke up. And it was his fault nonetheless.

“Well I’ll be damn,” Bradley set her down gently, still embracing her. “If it isn’t Miss. Blues Clues.” A playful slap hit his chest when they parted.

“You know I hate that name, Bradshaw.”

The two caught up briefly, sitting on stools at the opposite end of the pool table. At one point Bradley made her laugh that the beer she’d been sipping on spilled off her mouth, causing him to giggle and hand her some napkins. While dabbing the liquid away, she locked eyes with Jake. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. Pinning her to her seat with an unreadable gaze.

She nearly broke, feeling a speck of desire to talk to him, but then remembered her mothers words, “the more you gave him, the less he wanted you. While you may forgive him for all the hurt he brought you, you cannot subject yourself to that again. You deserve better.”

“What do you tell your friends, we, shared dinners, long weekends with? Truth is, I can’t pretend it’s platonic, it’s just ended so…”

She made a silent vow to herself, recalling the painful memories, the phone conversation with her mother along with bits and pieces friends have told her over the years of what Jake had relied on as the reason for their breakup. She would not fall again to his charm. There was no string that could be tied up in an attempt to fix what was cut.

Around them were friends they’d spend long weekends with. Javy and Nat were the most frequent, both having witnessed their relationship blossom and die. It made her wonder what others they hung out with knew. Whenever they’d see each other in passing the conversations always felt like they were walking on eggshells around her. And because she wanted to move on, she’d never ask what Jake told them.

For the sake of their jobs she’d be civil. The past was the past and it would stay there, but she’d make sure to remember it whenever those old feelings threatened to surface. From the looks of Jake throughout the night, he felt the same. It was obvious he wanted to find a moment alone with her to talk, but she refused to let that happen.

“I call my mom, she said to get it off my chest (off my chest). Remind myself the way you faded ‘til I left (until I left). I cannot be your friend, so I pay the price of what I lost (what I lost). And what it cost, now that we don’t talk.”

When she arrived at her dorm that would be her home for the next three weeks, the first thing she did was retrieve the letter to herself she wrote all those years ago. It was crumbled, having almost thrown it away several times, but remembering the significance within the words inked on the lines, she always pulled it back.

Parts of the paper were withered. A result from the teardrops that had fallen when she took to her desk after the phone call with her mother to write down everything weighed on her chest. Pouring her heart and soul into the paper. It wasn’t much, only taking up the front of the page, but it was enough to get the message across.

Her past self coming to remind her of those fleeting last months. Where Jake slowly became the ghost of the man she’d once loved. The constant worry and anxiety from hours of radio silence. Dinners that felt like an awkward first date. Not inviting her out with his friends anymore. HIs lingering eyes on women who weren’t her. Excusing it with bullshit remarks to make her think she was being dramatic. Finally, the party that sealed the deal.

To imagine what they would be if she gave him another chance would be an insult to herself. Instead, she thought about all she gained.

“I don’t have to pretend I like acid rock. Or that I’d like to be on a mega yacht. With important men who think important thoughts. Guess maybe I am better off, now that we don’t talk.”

After the breakup, she realized how much she hid herself from the world. There were things she pretended to like in order to please him. Like watching college football every weekend, entertaining mostly his friends and leaving her to sit on the couch with a book in hand only to not be able to concentrate with the loud ruckus they’d cause.

Or having to refrain from the things that made her happy. Singing at the top of her lungs in the car while her favorite songs played for the first time in years felt liberating. Not having to be careful on what she spent her money on now that she didn’t have to save more for rent because Jake started to blow his on going to the bar during the last several months of their relationship.

The worst was having to put on a facade in front of Jake’s superiors. Though stationed at the same base they were part of different squadrons. During the banquets and balls, Jake tended to make comments on what dresses she should wear and how to act when they arrived. He was always the kiss ass type who wanted to get promoted faster than his peers. Even though she praised him constantly, Jake was never satisfied unless one of his bosses complimented him. If she were honest to herself, she hated attending the events. Despite being in the Navy herself. Unless they were mandatory she’d find an excuse to not go. Being around men with egos as tall as the empire state building who only talked in statistics and status was draining.

“And the only way back to my dignity. Was to turn into a shrouded mystery. Just like I had been when you were chasing me.”

For the last three years, the way she carried herself changed. She had to for the sake of not letting her heart rot away. Taking back the self-respect she’d lost, after thinking for so long it was her fault Jake had betrayed her. That she wasn’t enough.

She was more than enough.

He was the one who chose to cheat. He was the one who didn’t try to defend himself or fight for what they had. He let himself go. He let her go.

So, after a good month of wallowing in self-pity and despair, she lifted herself up with poise and elegance. Remembering who she was before him. The woman who carried herself with confidence, never allowing anyone to tear her down. Who fought hard to build her career to what it was, after so many doubting her abilities.

The woman he chased after. Who at the core was strong, daring, resilient.

Sure, Jake taught her a lot. About herself, about what she wanted in a relationship. About love. She’ll never forget what they had.

She lost him, but along the way she found herself. And to her, that was everything.

“Guess this is how it has to be, now that we don’t talk.”

……..

Tag list: @avaleineandafryingpan , @caitsymichelle13 , @poppyalice2001 , @cutelittlepotatofry, @luckyladycreator2 , @americaarse , @elenavampire21 , @back-tooo-black, @wildellaa , @artemissunn , @pinkpantheris , @kmc1989

[ellebakers]

☆ I love you even more (+18)

Jake Seresin x reader

Summary : When your ex, Luke, tries to get you back, Jake, your friend with benefits, is ready to fight for you.

Warnings : +18 smut, language, fluff.

Monday morning is something you hate, but today is worse. You have cramps everywhere due to the frenzied evening you spent the day before with Lieutenant Seresin. You didn't know how it was possible but even your scalp hurt like hell, in fact, you knew how it was possible, it was probably due to the violence with which Jake had pulled on your hair when he took you from behind against the kitchen island. As you reminisced about the night before, someone sat down next to you.

"Hello my dear" You know this voice, it's the same one that, less than 24 hours ago, whispered to you "You're so perfect like that, screaming my name"

"What do you want Bangman ?" Jake leaned slightly towards you "Just remind you that you forgot that at my place" You frowned and looked down at where Jake had been pointing. You stifled a cry of horror when you saw your panties in his left hand, panties that he obviously ripped off of you last night.

"Hide it ! are you completely sick or what ?"Jake laughed, but put what was yours in his pocket.

"Alright, let's get to the point, today we're going to welcome a new member" exclaimed Maverick who had just arrived in the shed. "Welcome Lt. Duke "Rider" Cameron"

Holy shit…

Phoenix, your best friend turned to you, with wide eyes. It couldn't be, it couldn't be him. Not the Duke who broke your heart years ago. A rather muscular man with brown hair approached Mav and shook his hand. As he nodded to your colleagues, his gaze fell on you. As your heart raced, you felt not one, but two pairs of eyes on you. Indeed, Jake had noticed that something was wrong. He didn't like this guy, he didn't like the way he was looking at you, no one had the right to look at you like that except him.

"Who is this ?" he whispered to you

"My ex"

Hangman clenched his jaw at your answer. "What is he doing here?"

"No ideas…"

Phoenix, who had listened to your conversation and knew what was going on between Jake and you, turned to you "He may have come here to win you back" She knew Duke was a bastard, but what she also knew was that making that kind of comment would piss Hangman off, which might finally make him confess his feelings for you. She had no idea how her plan would work..

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Once the meeting is over, you fasten to go to the locker room, but Duke, who had every intention of winning you back, followed you, what Jake noticed.

"Y/n" Keep walking, don't stop, you thought. But Duke grabbed your arm and turned you to him.

"What? What do you want?!"

"Talk to you"

"No, now get off me"

"Y/n, I screwed up I know it and I blame myself. But if I came here it's because I knew you would be there, and I really want you to give me a second chance"

You looked at him like he was crazy "Do you honestly think I'm going to give you a second chance, after what you did!"

Duka sighed "It was an accident and-"

"Oh you mean you slept with my sister by accident? Like, you slipped and fell cock forward inside her"

"I-"

"It took me a while to get over it Duke, but now I'm happy, so stay out of my life"

"Happy? Really? Y/n I know it's not true, you may be happy at work, but not emotionally -"

"How do you know ?"

"Please, you haven't even been in a relationship since-"

"Angel, is everything okay?" Duke and you turn to whoever just spoke, it was Jake.

"Yes do not worry"

The blonde got next to you and put his arm around your waist, which surprised you, usually Hangman wasn't demonstrative, which made sense since you two aren't in a relationship. He smiled at Duke and held out his hand. "Pleased, Lieutenant Jake Seresin, callsign Hangman and" He paused before continuing to take the time to push a small lock of hair out of your eyes. "Her boyfriend". There was a long silence, Duke kept looking between you and Jake.

"Well, delighted. Lieutenant Duke Cameron, callsign Rider, and, Y/n and I were-"

"I know"

As you were about to speak, Rooster approached you. Noticing how close you and Jake were, he frowned but didn't ask.

"Y/n, Mav wants to see you"

You sighed "Ok, thanks roos"

You turned to Jake and Duke

"Excuse me"

"See you later baby" Hangman exclaimed.

The two men watched you walk away, and once you were a good distance away, Jake turned to Duke, his gaze dark.

"Look, I know why you're here, but I'm stopping you right now, she's out of reach for you. You had your chance, but from what I understand you were dumb enough to screw up. But I should thank you, your loss, my luck. So stay away from her, or you'll have to deal with me, okay?"

"Okay" And with that, Duke walked away, fist clenched and ego shattered.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

An hour later, you're sitting on the locker room bench as Phoenix tells you, word for word, the conversation she overheard between your ex and Jake. Once finished you shiver "Why did Jake tell him that?" Phoenix rolled her eyes "You moron! Bangman is in love with you"

"What? No, you're wrong"

Again Natasha rolled her eyes "So when you do something and your eyes are elsewhere, he looks at you as if you are the most beautiful thing he has seen. He is the one who proposed your small arrangement, all just because he's afraid to confess his feelings to you and it was the only way to have you all to himself, then today his jaw was so tight when he saw Duke coming towards you, whom she almost broke. And without forgetting the number of times he asked you to come and spend the evening with him, without sex, just you and him, and you tell me i’m wrong about the fact he’s in love with you ?"

"I don't know Nat"

"Do you love him ?"

"You know very well that, yes"

"So ! What’s the problem ?"

You groaned getting up to change "The problem is, let's say you're right. Ok Jake loves me, but what if he ends up getting bored, I don't want to go through another breakup, it hurts too much"

"Honey, if Bangman ever breaks your heart, I'll break his bones." You laughed at that "But seriously, you're one of the best pilots, you're hot, smart, nice, how could he get bored. You were made for each other"

"Nat–"

"Do you want to know something?" You nodded "I promised Bangman not to say anything, but you need to hear it. One evening at the bar, he came to get drunk because you had argued. I asked him his intentions with you, he m said, and I quote: She's the most beautiful thing that's ever happened to me, I can't get her out of my head. I think about her all day, and when I manage to sleep, I dream of her, I dream of being able to introduce her to my family, of asking her to marry me! Me who chained sex plans before meeting her. I only have eyes for her. She's so perfect that it scares me, scared that one day someone will take her from me."

You bit your cheek to stop yourself from crying, so it was true, Jake really loves you "Thanks Nat" You hugged her, once separated, she laughed lightly and said “He also told me that you are the best sex of his life” You laughed while wiping away the tears that had, despite your efforts, flowed.

"I love him so much, if only he knew"

"I think now he knows" The brunette told you. You frowned, not understanding what was going on.

"He's been on the phone with me since the beginning"

"What ?"

"He's in the gym. You should go join him"

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Natasha was right, Jake was sitting on a bench in the gym, when you walked in he turned his head towards you. He stood up as you approached him.

"Y/n I–"

You cut him off by kissing him. When you pushed yourself to breathe, he opened his eyes slightly and licked his lips, you rested your forehead against his and closed your eyes.

"I deduce from your kiss, that everything Phoenix told you is reciprocal"

"Why didn't you tell me" Jake took your face in his hands "I was afraid, afraid that you didn't want me anymore" You looked up at him "Lieutenant, I will always want you, I love you more than anything" Jake pressed his lips to yours. He pulled back slightly and whispered to you "I love you even more". Jake kissed you again, then moved his lips to your neck. He sucked the place he knew would drive you crazy and you moaned slightly.

"Jake" He hummed against your skin and slipped his hand under your top "We will not fuck here"

He looked up at you "Angel, we won't fuck, we'll make love from now on"

You shook your head laughing "Then we won't make love here"

He snorted "Like we've never done it before".

You laughed harder and Jake couldn't help smiling seeing you.

He put a hand on your cheek and kissed you again.

"Damn, Coyote you owe me $20" You heard Rooster yelled. You turned around and saw Bradley, Payback, Bob and Phoenix standing by the door with big smiles.

"Damn, he finally had the balls to tell her he loves her ?" Coyote says running in the direction of the gymnasium to come and see.

Jake frowned and spread his arms quizzically. "Would you mind if you left us some privacy" The group growled but obeyed anyway "Privacy." sneered Rooster "Like we never heard them fucking" He said it softly, but you heard it anyway.

Jake closed his eyes "I'm going to kill him"

You shook your head smiling.

"What if you take care of me instead Lieutenant" Hangman bit his lip, then picked you up, put you on his shoulder and slapped your ass.

"I love it when you call me that".

[aliorsboxostuff]

if your still doing topgun stuff, may I get some possessive Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Male!Reader? like reader is getting hit on and Jake makes it known that reader is his?

THIS TOOK 3 MONTHS TO WRITE??? AND IT CAME OUT SO SHORT?? I'm so sorry but your request is so good but I got swarmed with work AGHHHH i hope you enjoy this tho regardless, we love a possessive Jake &lt;3

Display of Affection

Tags: Jake Seresin x Male!reader, Hangman x Male!reader, Hangman, Jake Seresin, The Dagger Squad, male!reader, Penny Benjamin, Possessive behavior, established relationship, smug!boyfriend Jake, alcohol, kissing, slight dirty talk, pushing away a creep, Jake Seresin to the rescue!  Note: Reader’s callsign here is ’Robin’ 

When an enjoyable night at the Hard Deck turns sour when a creep decides to waltz his way to you, Jake Seresin comes to the rescue!

—

reblogs and comments appreciated <3

A slow Friday night at the Hard Deck. The team was lounging around the pool table, bantering with one another, a drink in hand and the slightly warm atmosphere from the tipsiness the booze has granted them. You and the others arrived around 8, right after an important meeting with Mav before he excused himself for the night and went home with Iceman, wishing you all to enjoy your weekend. So, naturally, you all poured into the Hard Deck and continued to bother Penny with horrible jokes while she rolled her eyes. 

Somehow, you all seemed to stay even after rush hour finished, and only your team and a couple of other patrons were milling about. You lean to your left, resting your head on Jake's shoulder as he crosses his arms and says something about baseball to Mickey. The blonde smirks as he reaches a hand around your hip and pulls just slightly closer. You smile, taking another sip from your cup, letting the alcohol warm you. 

You squint when your sip ends short and realize your depleted drink before your eyes finding Jake’s beer bottle almost empty. Moving from your boyfriend's hand, you reach over to take his bottle and your cup with you, Jake raises a brow before you stroll away. “I’ll get us more,”

He smiles, before promptly returning to his conversation. You grin, before reaching the bar where Penny is drying a glass and setting your cup and bottle on the counter. “Another bottle for Jake and a refill for me,” 

“You got it, Robin,” She nods, before taking both of them and going to do her work. You lean over the bar, forearms resting your weight as your eyes roam about the abundance of bottles and decorations strewn about the Hard Deck. A familiar tune passes through you as you begin to hum, waiting for your drink, before the hair on your neck rises and you snap to your right, spotting a man eyeing you, a smirk on his lips, before he decides to make his way towards you. He’s supporting a worn-down flannel with ripped jeans, a futile attempt on trying to style himself. A civilian in their mid-forties-ish, unkept stubble is as clear as the man's drunkenness. 

‘Oh great,’ You roll your eyes, huffing slightly before you stand straight, arms crossed, the annoyance already creeping up your spine. And to no one's surprise, the guy stops beside you, clearly already too drunk for his own dignity, a lopsided smirk while he drops his cup on the bar. By no means are you of a smaller stature than your peers, in fact; Jake is only a couple inches above you and if you were wearing shoes with a bit more on its heels, you'd be the same height as your boyfriend, the same build too. The same predicament currently with the man, only a bit taller than you, but that only seems to fuel him on as he tries to straighten himself, puffing out his chest. 

“Hey there,” A sultry undertone in the man's voice has you swallowing a bile, so you reply to his words with a tight smile. 

“Evening, sir,” You promptly nod, navigating into a more polite route. He sways in your direction, making you lean back to avoid the man, trying to give this person's intoxicated brain a fucking hint. “Can I help you with something?” 

“Yeah, actually you can,” that irksome smirk is back. Your smile tightens. His arm almost brushes yours. “Can you help me to your number-”

“Is there a problem here?” You jump slightly when you feel a familiar arm loop around your middle, pulling you to the right, before you glance and spot Jake’s dangerous grin aimed at the man. 

The creep halts slightly before he sneers. “This your man?”

“Yeah, and what of it?”  You bite, finding your courage beside Jake’s presence. The man scoffs, disgust written on his face, before he mutters under his breath. 

“Fucking sissies…” 

Your simmering anger accelerates into a boil, your eyes growing wide with a retort at the end of your tongue before Jake’s hand cups your jaw, cutting you off from shouting at the man and pressing his lips against yours. You let out a small confused noise before Jake starts to prod between your lips, asking for entrance, at which slides in and tastes your tongue. Between your boyfriend's solid hold and the arm around your hips, dizziness begins to envelop you, intoxicated by Jake’s sudden movements. 

The kiss ends with Jake softly pulling back, before nudging your head to rest against his chest. “Don't be a hypocrite, would you? Last time I checked you were hitting on a man as well,”

You could practically feel Jake’s burning smirk. You can't help but stand in shock, face as warm as it has been this whole night, and shifting slightly to bury your face deeper into Jake’s embrace. Your boyfriend chuckles lightly, before turning back to the man. “But this one is taken, so why don't you kindly fuck off?” 

The man choked on his words, before slamming a couple of bills onto the bar and storming out of the bar. The sound of the door shifting relieves your tension, slowly raising your head. Your eyes meet your boyfriend, a warm smile on his lips. He raises a hand and pushes a couple of stray fringes, arranging them back properly into your hairstyle. 

“Thank you, Jake. That guy is way over his head. You did all of us a favor,” Penny’s voice snaps you out and you move slightly apart from Jake, though you already miss his warmth. Jake laughs and shakes his head.

“All in a day's work, Penny,” He winks, quickly snatching your refill and his beer, before turning to walk back to the squad table. You nod a thanks towards Penny before catching up to Jake, bumping his side. He moves his arms, exaggerating as if he was going to drop the beverages. 

“Whoah! Careful princey,” He chuckles, swaying slightly. 

You roll your eyes fondly. “I had him, y’know,” 

“Oh I know baby,” You snap to his face, eyes sharp, which makes Jake let out another surprised laugh. “I mean it! I do! I don't doubt that you’d probably sock that guy in the face,”

“But we’re not trying to get kicked out by our dear Penny, right?” He raises an expectant brow, which makes you huff, a small smile tugging at the edge of your lips. The two of you slide back into your previous seats, discreetly shuffling to press against your boyfriend. You knew he simply smiled, wrapping an arm around your middle. What you didn't expect was his breath fanning against your neck as he leaned in.

“Besides, I don't get many chances to show others you're mine.” 

Your face heats. Scrambling to push Jake’s mouth away from getting any closer. The room suddenly grew hotter, a steady stream of arousal moving through your body. “Jake…”

Jake laughs, patting your shoulder lightly. There's a light dusting of pink on his cheeks, most likely from the liquor. “I know, Robin! I know!”

His laugh cuts short, before that devilish smirk is back on your boyfriend's enticing lips. “Later, then…” 

Requests are open! (slow res)

[honkytonk-hangman]

SunKissing

Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Reader

Summary: Eight and a half months Dagger had been at sea, which is honestly one of the shorter deployments Jake had been on, certainly not one he’d have usually complained about, except that this time, for the first time, Jake had somewhere else he wanted to be aside from in his jet.

Warnings: Fluff, mentions of sex but no actual smut xx

Notes: again, ty to @roleycoleyland this one is dedicated to you &lt;3 Title from the Hailee Steinfeld song <3

Masterlist

Jake had stopped listening to the others the moment you nervously walked through the back gate. He’s off on the other side of the yard, so Penny reaches you long before he does, smiling kindly as your eyes flicker to her, then down at the covered plate in your hands when she gestures to it. Jake shakes his head internally. He’d told you that you didn’t need to bring anything, but of course you had anyway.

You smile sweetly, but unsurely as Penny welcomes you, and Jake is glad it’s her who saw you first, not one of the others. He hadn’t told anyone about you yet, let alone mentioned that he had invited you to this post-deployment barbecue Mav had all but ordered.

Eight and a half months Dagger had been at sea, which is honestly one of the shorter deployments Jake had been on, certainly not one he’d have usually complained about, except that this time, for the first time, Jake had somewhere else he wanted to be aside from in his jet.

There were very few things Jake liked more than flying, and almost nothing in the world was worth it to him to give it up. Yet, the past eight months hadn’t gone by in their usual halcyon blur of adrenaline and speed, instead, Jake had found that the time to dragged, the days clung and the weeks hanging on like they had made it their personal mission to torture him.

He didn’t get to make phone calls that often, but you’d given him your email before he’d left, and despite staring at an empty document for three days too long, he’d sent you a short, somewhat conservative update, only to breathe out a sigh of relief when not too long after, he’d received your reply.

Jake hadn’t done this before, not even with his family. He preferred the months at sea with no ties and no tethers to anything or anyone on land, completely unattached and free from responsibility. That was the Hangman promise after all, ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’, which had been working out just great for him the past couple of years, right up until he met you.

It was at the Hard Deck of course, where he’d first sidled up to you, all charm and casual cool, certain that he’d found his night's paramour, only to be thanked for the offer of a bought drink, but dutifully informed immediately that you wouldn’t be going home with him. Jake hadn’t been completely taken aback, sometimes he set his sights on a woman who was taken, or just plain not interested, and that was always fine, but that hadn’t exactly been the case with you. You’d simply gone on to inform him that you didn’t do one night stands, which, in Jake's mind hadn’t made you off limits yet, so he’d bought you a drink anyway, this time free of expectations, and to his own surprise, after starting a conversation with you properly, he hadn’t wanted to end it. 

Only after you’d checked the time and told him you’d needed to go had Jake realised just how much he’d enjoyed your company, and so taking a step out of his own usual comfort zone, he’d asked you out on a date.

You’d been unsure at first, like you could read his usual antics all over his face, and told him that you didn’t sleep with people on first dates either, but Jake only laughed at your bluntness, and assured you he’d just wanted to see you again, sex or not. Even now, he’s not sure how much of that was just a line, but in the end he supposed it didn’t really matter, because only three dates and eight and a half months later, it was the most truthful fact about him.

For the past two-hundred and fifty-nine days, Jake had wanted to see nothing but you, and when that couldn’t happen thanks to his deployment, he’d settled for weekly emails. He’d never admit it to anyone, but for the first time in his entire life as an aviator, Jake had come to look forward to your weekly updates more so than he even looked forward to flying.

You’d been so surprised when he’d called you less than an hour after getting boots on the ground at last, even more surprised when Jake had immediately invited you to the Dagger’s welcome home party that night. Which is the reason why you’re currently looking around nervously, and letting Penny take your plate from you.

Jake is fully checked out of the conversation by the time he starts moving, ignoring any calls after him as he makes a beeline toward you, finally drawing your attention when he’s only a few feet away. Much like him, you seem to cease all other focus when you see him, your eyes never leaving him as he quickly closes the distance between you.

“There you are,” Jake all but gushes, sidestepping Penny and immediately wrapping you up, pulling you in firmly with both arms in a hug he doesn’t intend to let go of any time soon.

“Jake!” You barely get out before you’re engulfed. Jake feels his eyes prickle just a little bit when your arms link tightly around his neck, but he forcibly blinks the sensation away, focusing instead on how good it feels to hold you again.

“I’ll take this inside…” Penny says softly, knowingly, but neither of you really notice her slink off. You also don’t notice Fanboy nudge Phoenix, or how the rest of his squad slyly stop their talking to watch the two of you with various levels of interest.

“God, I missed you,” Jake hears himself say before he can really stop and think about it, his heart thumping rapidly away in his chest at the possibility that you didn’t actually feel the same. You laugh a little, and sniff, burying yourself deeper into his neck.

“I missed you too!” You say muffled into the collar of his shirt, tightening your hold on him slightly. Jake lets out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding, and squeezes you closer.

“You alright sweetheart?” He asks quieter than before, feeling a few spots of wetness seep through his shirt, as well as hearing the way you sniffle again.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I’m fine,” you try to reassure him, despite the shake to your voice. Jake can only hum, and adjusts his hold on you so he can sweep one large hand up and down you back in soothing motions, something he’s pretty sure he’s only even done once before, to his mother before he left for the Academy damn near seventeen years ago.

Jake just holds you there for a few minutes more, until your sniffling finally stops and you begin pulling back. He’s glad you don’t go far though, keeping your arms around his neck still as you lean back to get a proper look at him. He doesn’t comment on the redness of your eyes, but he does have to blink rapidly to stop his own prickling once again.

“God, look at you!” You say softly, not really explaining what you mean, but you’re smiling brightly, so Jake doesn't care. He sorta gets it, when he runs his eyes over you. You’d gotten a haircut since he saw a picture of you last, he thinks you might’ve changed the way you did your eye makeup. Just little things he wouldn’t have noticed had he seen them day by day, but all at once carry over to be much more noticeable.

“I’m glad you came,” he tells you honestly, leaning back in to press a quick kiss to your mouth, which turns into two quick kisses, which turns into a third, longer, more substantial one. Behind him, someone wolf whistles, and Jake can’t help the grin that covers his face when he pulls back and gets a look at your flushed features.

“Come on, lemme introduce you to these idiots, or they’ll get even more annoying.” He rolls his eyes, but really, Jake can’t get enough of the way it feels to sling his arm casually around your waist and tug you into him as he guides you back to the otherside of the yard. He smiles widely, taking immense pleasure at getting to show you off for the first time in front of his friends. He loves the way you sink into him, hand resting naturally against his sternum, the place where you are feeling like exactly the place you belong.

In fact, Jake believes so firmly that the place you belong is right by his side, he doesn’t let you leave it all night. He’d gotten a lift to Penny and Mav’s with Coyote, so he drives your car back for you, taking your hand and bringing it across the console to rest on his thigh, coving it with his own and giving it a squeeze every twenty or so seconds as he sees fit.

“Come back with me?” He’d asked before pulling out of the curb side parking, glancing over at you meaningfully. It had been you who’d squeezed his hand then, and smiled softly at him in the dark of the early evening.

“If you want me to.” You’d said to him. Considering right up until his deployment you’d been taking it slow, he understands the trust your acceptance really imparts, and feels a warmth spread through him at the mere suggestion.

It’s ironic to Jake that eight and a half months ago he would have be raring to go at your agreeing to come back to his home after a party, but now, with so much time between you and with Jake still firmly in recovery mode from his deployment, sex is really the last thing on his mind. It’s even more ironic to him that once he’s tucked your car away in his garage for the night, and dragged you inside, it’s him who puts the breaks on things escalating, something he’s fairly certain he’s never done before in his life.

“Mmphf… baby, wait, wait…” Jake hears himself say breathily, forcing himself to pull his lips away from yours entirely. He’d been kissing you the moment the front door was shut, shoving you gently against the wall so that he could really savour how you tasted after all these months, but your hands grasping at the front of his shirt, pulling him in, begging for more nearly has him giving it to you right there in his entryway. He refrains, though, pulling away to rest his forehead against yours, though indulges the both of you by pressing himself into you, letting you feel his weight on top of you.

“What’s wrong?” you all but whine, brow furrowing sweetly, like perhaps you thought he wanted to stop because of something you’d done. Jake lifts his hands to cup your jaw, tilting your chin higher and plants two more less-than-chaste kisses to your already swollen lips.

“You’re not going to believe me when I say this,” Jake starts, a wry smile already pulling at his lips and he rolls his eyes at himself this time. You blink up at him questioningly. “Lets just go slow for tonight,” he says, your disbelief confirmed when you stare at him utter in confusion, your frown deepening. “Listen, darling’, I’d love to continue this line of thought you’ve got,” he can’t help but lean against you harder then, something in his abdomen stirring when your eyelids flutter and he sees you swallow thickly. “But… I’m exhausted, honey… let me just hold you, alright?”

He says the words without much question to them, knowing that you’d respect his request without thought. He’s rewarded for his honesty by you mirroring his hold on your cheeks, your own hands cupping his face as you coo.

“Jake, you don't need to entertain me if you’re tired, I can go home…!” you try to tell him, but he ends that idea with a sharp narrowing of his eyes, his hands gripping you harder.

“Baby I haven’t seen or touched you in months, I’m planning on calling you out of work sick tomorrow,” he jokes, though, the thought does strike him as actually a good idea. You laugh, and for a moment he feels slightly light headed because of it.

When he regains himself again, he drops his lips back to yours slowly and maybe a little too hotly, but he doesn’t regret it. “Come on,” he says eventually, tugging you from against the wall, but keeping the line of your body flush to his. “Let's go to bed baby.”

–

You wake in the early hours of the morning with a small start. At first you don’t recognise your surroundings, which makes your sleepy brain panic, but a few seconds later, a dim light to your left reminds you of where you are and who you’re with.

You peel your eyes open and find Jake lying next to you, his head resting in his palm as he leans up on his pillow, phone in hand, his brightness turned all the way down you suspect. You wake further upon realising he’s wide awake, and clearly has been for some time, but at feeling you begin to stir, the arm he still has draped around you tightens, like he’s trying to soothe you in your sleep. He looks up from his phone then, and it makes your heart flutter something wild that even when he thinks you’re asleep he’s remaining attentive.

“Shh, close your eyes baby,” he whispers, clearly not realising you were fully conscious now. You shuffle closer though, curling into his side, and using the opportunity to take him in fully. Jake always looked beautiful, and you aren’t shocked to discover he was even more so at this hour of the day, with his hair completely mussed from your earlier making out, and his features totally relaxed in a way you’re almost certain you’ve never seen before.

“Why’re you awake?” you ask with a yawn. Jake sighs and runs his hand up and down your back a few times.

“Did I wake you up?” he replies, frowning. You shake your head and stifle another yawn.

“What’re you doin’?” you try again. Jake puts his phone down, tucking it under his pillow.

“Lookin’ up mattresses,” he tells you, pulling you in closer, so you’re facing one another. Neither of you raise your voices above a whisper, and despite everything that has happened tonight, this moment feels more intimate than anything else.

“Jake, I wasn’t bein’ serious!” you faux-scold, but he only shrugs. His hand brushes absently over your spine again, and you’re once again surprised by just how touchy Jake has been since his return.

Before he left, the two of you had been out together a whole three times, only two dates of which had ended in brief, but breathtaking kisses, but despite that, you’d initially been a little surprised when he’d told you he was leaving for the better part of a year, and then proceeded to ask for your contact information. To be perfectly honest, you’d expected Jake to break up with you, not somewhat flusteredly explain to you that emails were the best form of regular contact at sea, and ask if it were okay if maybe he sent you some.

You reach a hand up and smooth down some of his hair. Jake leans into you and closes his eyes.

“The springs in this thing could kill someone,” he whispers, shuffling so that his knee slots between yours. “And if my bunk on the carrier is more comfortable, then I definitely need to upgrade.”

You watch him closely. Usually, in the past, you’d had trouble telling whether or not Jake was being honest with you, but for some reason right now you have absolutely zero doubt he was lying.

You suppress your smile, but only because if your emails over the last eight and half months had taught you anything, it was that Jake found it hard sometimes to be vulnerable just for the sake of it, and often hid it under the guise of other thingsv. You don’t believe him about finding his carrier bunk more comfortable, but you understand this is his way of making room for you, asking you in his own way to stay, much like his asking for your email had been all those months ago now.

Jake shifts and peeks one eye open at you.

“Maybe we can go to the store tomorrow,” he says lightly. You hum, and try not to give your insight away.

“The weekend perhaps? I don’t finish until late tomorrow,” you tell him, only for his head to begin shaking.

“Nope, not working tomorrow,” he insists, at last opening both his eyes when you can’t help but giggle.

“Oh, you were being serious!” you laugh, just as Jake draws you closer, so his breath ghosts over your lips teasingly.

“I won’t be so tired in the morning… and maybe you can help me test out the new mattress.” his voice is low and sends a thrill down your spine at his implication.

“Well, I can’t let you test it out on your own…” you concede, just as he leans in and presses a kiss to your jaw, shaking his head.

“After eight months of ‘testing it on my own’, that would just be cruel.”

You can't help but laugh, scrunching up your nose and lightly smacking his chest. Jake grins, and kisses another spot along your jaw, higher this time, making you barely suppress a shiver. He chortles to himself and adjusts his positioning to wrap an arm around you. You settle in against his chest and for a few minutes the two of you just lay in comfortable silence.

“I want you to be comfortable here,” Jake whispers eventually, making you pull back a little to look up at him. He’s still referencing your much earlier comment about his old mattress, but you really had been mostly joking.

“As long as you’re here, I will be.” you tell him  in just as quiet of a whisper. Jake shuffles, and shifts his eyes away from you, to look somewhere over your head.

“But I’m not always here…” he says even quieter than before, still not looking at you. You want to question why you would be at his house when he was away, but it strikes you then, that perhaps in the future, that's exactly what he wants.

You pull back even more, but only so you can cup his cheeks and force him to look back down at you. Kissing his lips briefly, you lean in and brush the tip of his nose with yours.

“Then let's go mattress shopping in the morning.”